Eve Novella - The Vaaralen Strain

Fiction Friday! Escape pod here!

My third novella set in New Eden is complete. Twenty thousand words of geekiness. Thanks to Shahai Shintaro and Azis Troyanov for proofreading and Rixx Javix at Eveoganda for the awesome cover artwork!

The PDF is available for download here as a PDF. I've copied the prologue below to give you a taste.

Prologue

Six months ago…

Gazak slowly started to come round. His senses were dull and his head felt heavy. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, he was somewhere unfamiliar. It appeared to be an old abandoned factory. The windows were mostly broken and the floor was littered with debris, old machinery, and broken glass. He sniffed the air, he was somewhere on the very lower decks of the space-station. After years of living in space, Garak could tell where he was on a ship or station simply by the smell and taste of the air. He'd only ever been up to the upper decks a few times but he remembered the air: clean, crisp, fragrant. The lower down in the station you were, the worse the air was. A combination of cheaper atmosphere processors, basic scrubbers and limited maintenance by poorly qualified and underpaid staff who didn’t care about their jobs.

He took in more of his surroundings. He was sat on a filthy mattress and next to him was an unconscious, emaciated female. Gazak shook his head to try and clear the fog and was rewarded with a splitting pain. He stayed still for a few seconds waiting for the pain to pass. “Mindflood”, that's what he must have been doing last night he thought. Only that narcotic gave him headaches like this the morning after. But who was the girl? What happened last night? He looked around the immediate vicinity and saw the small bottle laying on top of a filthy rag, "Yup" he thought, "Mindflood." He then saw a strange double syringe applicator. He recalled something from the night before. Some sort of new designer drug, the Matari girl had wanted that. It started to come back to him. He'd gotten paid with a good bonus. The factory order had shipped before schedule and they'd got an extra payment. He'd gone straight down to one of the illegal bars on deck 6. He'd partied hard and met the girl hanging about outside. The bouncers wouldn't let her in, it was clear she didn't have any money. She had offered herself to him if he hit her up. He had been wasted and wasn't thinking straight. He'd agreed and bought himself the Mindflood and that other stuff for her from his dealer. They'd found this abandoned factory and..... Gazak held his head in shame. What was he becoming? He struggled to his feet, glass broke under his boots. This was all 'her' fault!

He staggered over to one of the vents in the wall on unsteady feet and lent forward with his palms on the wall either side of the vent. The gentle breeze washed over him. He needed to sort his life out, things had spiralled out of control since 'she' had left. Gazak fought back a tear. It had been six months since she walked out. He couldn't blame her. His drug use was out of control and it finally caught up with him. He had owed a dealer a substantial amount of money. Eventually the dealer visited his apartment on the station and threatened his wife. That brought it all out into the open. She'd given him a chance to clean up and get on the straight and narrow, and he'd blown it. The next time his dealer visited the apartment it hadn't been for a 'chat'. Garak arrived back home from work to find his apartment trashed and his wife furiously packing a bag. When she looked up at him, he saw the black eye and a look of complete and utter loathing in her eyes. She had stormed out of the apartment and he'd just stood there, paralysed with shame. He'd not seen her since.

There was a slight groan from behind him. The girl was waking up. Garak stood up straight and watched as she slowly pushed herself up. She looked sick, however he doubted she could look healthy even on the best of mornings. She was painfully skinny and dressed in soiled rags. He started to worry about what they'd done together the night before. He'd needed to get himself checked out at the clinic. He hated clinics.

"I don't feel too good," She whined.

"Neither do I," Gazak grumbled.

"No, it’s not the come-down its something else. I... I..."

Suddenly the girl started to convulse. Gazak rushed over to her. She was thrashing on the mattress having some sort of fit. He saw strange movements within her arms, as if the muscles were trying to burst out.

"Red! Give... me... red!" the girl gasped as she continued to convulse.

Gazak wondered what she meant, then he glimpsed the applicator. One side was marked red. He grabbed it and jabbed her in the arm with it. It appeared to make no difference. She continued to thrash and the bulges under her skin grew. He leaned over her not knowing what to do. There was a sickening crack and her left forearm bent in the centre to ninety degrees. Gazak looked in horror as blood pumped from the wound where the white, splintered bone broke through the skin. The woman was screaming now and thrashing harder. Her foot came up and caught Gazak square in the chest. It sent him flying backwards. He landed in a pile of rubble and an incredible pain lanced through his body. He looked down in horror to see a two foot shard of rusting scrap metal sticking out the front of his chest, dripping with his blood. As his vision started to darken all he could hear was her screams, and the sharp crack of snapping of bones.

The Bowhead Bonus

We have the stats for the Bowhead! The new freighter cum carrier-without-a-jump-drive for carting your important internet spaceships about!

BOWHEAD

Ore Freighter Bonus:
5% bonus to max velocity per level
5% bonus to ship maintenance array capacity per level

Role Bonus:
90% reduction in jump fatigue generation

Slot layout: 0H, 3M, 3L, 3R; 0 turrets, 0 launchers
Fittings: 1350 PWG, 215 CPU
Defense (shields / armor / hull) : 10000 / 11000 / 36500
Capacitor (amount / recharge) : 3900 / 235000
Mobility (max velocity / agility / mass / warp speed): 65 / .065 / 640000000 / 1.37
Drones (bandwidth / bay): 0 / 0
Targeting (max targeting range / Scan Resolution / Max Locked targets): 51.5km / 45 / 3
Capacity (cargo / ship maintenance array): 4000 / 1300000 (goes up to 1.6 something with ore freighter 5)
Sensor strength: 12
Signature radius: 3200

So basically its a way of moving around big assembled/insured ships. The SMA can hold 3 fitted battleships, 6 battlecruisers, 13 cruisers or 71 frigates, roughly at max skills.

CCP Rise said "this ship is intended for a specific niche: high-sec transport of fitted/insured ships. It may find applications in other parts of space (especially because of the reduced jump fatigue), but we aren't really worried about hitting anything outside of the high-sec application"

Hang on? Then why even put it the jump fatigue bonus? If you are not worried about any use outside of high-sec WHY PUT IT IN? I think its been put in for a reason, tinfoil hat time, otherwise is a very odd choice.

Then again, we can say that about that max velocity bonus? If you ask industrialists and haulers what would be important in thier ship I think you'd get:-

Cargo capacity
Agility (speed to get into warp)
Warp speed
Survivability

If you asked them if velocity was important they'd look at you funny. These ships will move from station to gate, gate to station or station to POS. Unless you are using auto-pilot you're not using sub-light engines really at any point (even inside the POS you are going to bookmark the assembly array or the ship maintenance array right?). Another odd choice.

Further down the thread Rise said it had about a third of a million HP in the Client fitting window. My alt in a normal freighter gets 210,000 base and 350,000 when I tank it so they are certainly around the tanked freighter mark.

Is this designed as a potential gank target? Is CCP (don tinfoil hat) hoping to encourage autopiloting in these things with the velocity bonus and thus increase chance of ganks and thus remove some ISK from the game? Are they hoping force projection effected null-sec groups will see these as ideal to bridge BS fleets across the map and end up getting them slaughtered in some elaborate trap?

Its all a bit odd to me!

Stay Frosty FFA - The Top Five Silly Fits

I'm awarding a Daredevil worth one billion ISK to the most "silly fit" from the Stay Frosty Frigate Free For All that happened over the weekend. I've been over the killboard and pulled my favorite WTFs? from the system during the event. I didn't find many very silly fits to be honest. Blingy yes, bonkers no.

I had planned on three to feature, but these five all need a special mention!

The Pirate Noobship. 

258m ISK. https://zkillboard.com/kill/42292622/
When I first saw this I thought why is Velator so damn expensive? Yes, its got a silly web on it but its still too expensive to be.... oh wait, its not a Velator, its the much rarer pirate noob ship the Violator. Ahhhhhhh!

The Dual-Faction Rep Incursus. 

149m ISK. https://zkillboard.com/kill/42286688/
A T1 frigate with two faction reps? That must tank like a MoFo! Yes, but not when grabbed by a couple of destroyers. Oh well! It was a bit of a silly fit.

The Faction Fit T3. 

663m ISK. https://zkillboard.com/kill/42285967/
Frigate free for all? Nah, I'll bring a blinged out T3 cruiser for a laugh. Dead!

The Battle Orca! 

757m ISK. https://zkillboard.com/kill/42285556/
Figate? F*** YOU I'M A MAHOOSIVE BATTLE INDUSTRIAL!

Faction Fit Dramiel. 

438m ISK. https://zkillboard.com/kill/42286731/
If I bling my Dram I'll be INWINCIBUL! The Camel Empire and their non-bling Kestrels said "Nope!"

So who is deserving of the grand prize. Who was silly and brought a ludicrous ship to die in a fire?

Let me hear your thoughts dear readers. We shall choose one of the above together!

SCASSSS - Pod and Planet Fiction Contest

Telegram Sam is running the Pod and Planet Fiction Contest again. Current prize pool is 32 billion ISK and still time for that to rise. 

In previous years I've kicked myself by publishing a good idea a month or two before the entry window. Many months ago someone said I should do a piece about the Angel Project. Sindel made some off the cuff remark "Oooo will they call me Mistress?". I quickly made a note in my draft ideas store. 

Angel Project

"Will they call me Mistress?"

Sindel Wears Prada

This has been sat there for months waiting for the P&P planet contest. Finally it comes around... and who is one of the judges?

Anyway, my great idea is down the toilet but why don't you give it a try this year? I will after I've stopped screaming "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..."

Extract - The Vaaralen Strain

The fiction below is an extract from the start of my 3rd novella which should be finished in the next week or so. The last volunteer proofreader has it now so hopefully that will posted here soon(tm).

Escape pod here to the latest o7 show if Eve fiction is not your thing. 

The Vaaralen Strain

The customs inspector looked up at the rusting industrial ship docked in hanger 4B with disdain. Minmatar starships generally had a look about them he didn't like, but the condition this one was in was terrible. Its hull was pocketed, dinted and streaked with rust. Over its long life it appeared to have been painted many times, but not recently, not for a good number of years. Thick steel plates had been haphazardly welded here and there as makeshift repairs. He doubted the vessel was fully air-tight. Several sensor arrays and communication antennas had simply snapped off leaving wires sprouting from rusting holes in the hull like weeds growing through an old road. He reached the personnel door which was open. A overweight Caldari man in stained overalls and a faded cap stood there looking bored.

"I am Officer Kanto from Station Customs. Permission to come aboard."

"Yeah whatever." the Captain replied and backed into the ship, spitting on the deck.

As they made their way through the ships corridors the customs officer wondered when the ship had last had an overhaul. If he had to guess it would have been a couple of decades ago. Everywhere he went makeshift repairs were visible. The majority of the junction boxes and access panels appeared to be held closed by duct tape. He had hoped the bridge would be better, he was disappointed. Many of the consoles were not working, and those that did appeared to flicker due to loose connections. A hulking dark-skinned Matari man was asleep in one of the chairs with his feet up on a console. He was snoring loudly and a line of drool left his mouth and ran down his chin leaving a dark patch on his shoulder.

Officer Kanto went through the ships log and inventory to ensure everything was in order. He was glad that the holds were empty, the ship was picking up a shipment at this station. He didn't fancy going down to inspect the holds, he hated to think what the air was like down there. It was bad enough on the bridge, a stale combination of burnt electrics, sweat and oil. He shuddered to think what it must be like in the bowels of the ship. Thankfully the small crew did not raise any flags either. He'd half expected anyone crazy enough to serve on this flying death-trap to have a string of outstanding arrest warrants. Each one had more than a few brushes with the law he noted, mostly bar fights, but no outstanding warrants.

With the inspection complete he thanked the Captain and turned down his offer to inspect the rest of the ship. He was off the ship in half the time he usually took to do the docking inspection. 

With the customs officer clear of the ship the captain stepped into the lift and depressed the button for the bridge holding it down. After a few seconds the hidden DNA scanner inside the button confirmed his identity and the lift dropped to the lowest levels of the ship. When the doors opened the captain stepped out into a smart high-tech command and control centre. He breathed a good lungful of the clean, crisp air. Hos, the ships 'gadget master', did a great job injecting the faux odours into the ventilation system in the upper decks. They made sure official's visits were short and to the point. The Captain was always glad to be back in the fresh air of the lower decks. One of the bridge officers called out, "Captain on deck!" and a woman rose from the elevated captain's chair and took the seat next to it. The captain pulled a large padded insert from the front of his overalls that gave him the impression of being massively overweight and pulled the red cap off his head.

"OK, let’s get the cargo loaded and this show on the road." he said in a commanding tone taking his seat.

Sixty minutes later the hauler was undocking from the station and aligning to the outbound stargate. Its forward cargo hold had been filled with a shipment of drone parts destined for an orbital station in a solar system some 12 light-years away. In the age of stargates, a short hop.

The rusting ship finally slipped into warp, it's engines running at 30% of their output to ensure suspicion was not aroused. It took less than two minutes to cross the solar system and they dropped out of warp speed near the massive stargate. Whilst warp drive allowed ships to quickly cross solar systems, they were inefficient at crossing the vast distances of interstellar space. For travelling between solar systems, stargates were used to open an artificial wormhole allowing almost instantaneous travel over distances of many light years. The ship joined the queue of ships slowly making their way towards to massive grey structure. The viewscreen showed Empyrean piloted ships coming and going: gunmetal-grey Raven class battleships and bright golden Amarrian freighters. Capsuleer piloted vessels did not have to wait in line, their navigation systems were much more sophisticated and relied a lot less on the gate's traffic control systems. Not only that, the immensely rich and powerful did not queue in New Eden. As they were nearing the front of the queue the Captain relinquished control of the ship to his XO and left the hidden bridge.

A short while later the Captain entered a small staging hanger. This was located in the belly of the ship with a camouflaged external hatch allowing the small shuttles they carried to be launched directly into space. It housed a number of different shuttles used for transporting the crew to where they needed to go. The primary ship-to-surface shuttle could hold a full squad of mercenaries with combat gear as well as the pilot and a tactical officer. Their smallest shuttle was not much bigger than a large missile. It was almost invisible to scanners and could discretely fly a single person, usually into harm’s way. The hanger also served as the main access to the ships armoury and also the 'toy shop' where Hos created the more unusually gadgets and devices that the mission might need.

The Captain had changed from the stained overalls and cap he had on to jet-black combat fatigues. He approached a table where a variety of weapons were laid out.

"I saved you the Ishukone spray-and-pray." Riku stated without even turning around.

The Captain picked up the machine pistol and checked the chamber. He slammed home a fresh magazine. Whilst normally he would choose something more accurate with greater stopping power, any fire-fight today would be in the narrow confines of a starship. Assault rifles were too bulky and too slow for such close quarters fighting. The machine pistol was ideal for such situations.

Riku turned around. He was wearing the same outfit as the captain and had a pair of pistols in his hands. Riku was their 'boots on the ground'. A former Caldari Intelligence Services operative, Riku had been hung out to dry after disobeying a direct order than would have resulted in the deaths of an innocent mother and her three children. The captain had sprung him from the military stockade and offered him a job with the mercenary outfit.

"Going light?" the Captain asked nodding at the two pistols Riku was holding.

Riku span both pistols and slammed them into twin holsters. He pulled out a heavy-duty combat shotgun from the pile of weapons and slipped it into his back holster giving an 'as if!' look to the Captain.

"Sir, we are jumping into the target system." The XO's voice came through the Captain’s earpiece.

"OK men, here we go!" The Captain called and waved the assembled men towards the main lift.

In the Ops Centre, the room was deadly quiet as the ship was swallowed by the artificial wormhole created by the stargate. A few seconds later the viewscreen showed them emerging from the wormhole. The stargate sat 12km off their port bow. Several frigates were buzzing around the gate, the threat analyser showing them as pirates.

"Sir, we have six tango's in close orbit of the gate. Frigate class hulls. Cloak will hold for twenty seconds more. No other traffic about." The XO in the C&C centre had a direct open channel to the Captains comm unit.

When jumping through a stargate a limited cloaking field was projected around the incoming ship by the stargate. This allowed them time to make sure all systems were fully operational following the jump should there be any threats on the other side of the gate. Gate camps by pirates were common and the defensive sentry guns which were controlled by CONCORD edicts dealt only with capsuleer aggression. They didn't interfere with anyone else.

"Acknowledged. Wait for the cloak to drop. Then make it look like we're running. Try and warp out, but don't try too hard. Once they get a warp disruptor on us, burn back for the gate. Again, don't try too hard. We want them to catch us." the Captain replied.

The XO followed the Captains instructions. As soon as the cloak dropped she ordered helm to align to planet six and engage the warp drive. As they did the targeting alarms went off. Before they could slip into warp a graviton beam from one of the frigates enveloped the hauler. A second alarm sounded in the operations centre signalling the warp drive had gone offline. The hauler then started to turn back to the gate, making it look like they were going to try and escape the way they came. The wormhole had deposited them 12km from the gate, they needed to be within 2.5km to reactivate it. The ship shuddered and even with the inertial dampeners, the crew felt the ship slow suddenly. As expected the pirates had deployed stasis webifiers, an offensive weapon that used graviton physics to slow the targeted ship substantially.

"Captain, they have us. Warp core is offline and we're webbed badly. Incoming fire is light, they are being careful not to damage us. I have our shields set at 10% and using the passive recharge to keep them up. We are not in any danger from these ships. They are launching boarding shuttles."

The captain entered the lift.

"Come on boys, we have guests arriving. Let’s not keep them waiting."

Glass Cannon Fits V2

So got a few comments on yesterdays post about Glass Cannon weapons. What difference do some of the suggestions make?

Oracle - With 4 heatsinks the use of damage rigs is pointless. Gets your DPS from 1344 to 1380. Same with RoF rigs.

Talos - Same. Using weapon rigs doesn't help much given the stacking penalties.

Manticore - I'd point out my Manti had a prop mod. An AB! Dropping the torpedo range rigs to damage rigs is an improvement. Obviously with only two damage mods on a Manticore stacking penalties aren't as hard hitting. With two DPS rigs it gets up to 738dps and the range drops to 50km which isn't bad.

That got me thinking. Manticore only has two lows. What about a Purifier?

Highs = 3 x Polarized Torpedo Launcher + Covert Ops Cloak.
Meds = Afterburner and two spare slots with 7.7 CPU and 24.7 PG spare.
Lows = 3 x BCU
Rigs = 2 x Calefaction Catalyst Rigs

850 DPS out to 50km, 2,200 EHP. Amarr Victor?

Augoror Navy Issue was ship suggested may benefit from Polarized weaponry.

3 x Polarized Heavy Pulse.
MWD, Scram, Web
1600 Plate, Medium AAR, 4 x Heat Sink, Tracking Enhancer.
Triple Trimark.

766 DPS with 42,000 EHP.

Compared to my Fleet stabber at 434 DPS, 43,200 EHP buffer.... that Augoror might be the ship medium polarized weaponry has been looking for!

As I posted yesterday will keep this short. Just leave this Jonny Pew video here of the new exploration sites....

Glass Cannon Weapons - Potential Fits

I don't always post on a Tuesday, but when I do its because I have this draft for over a week and it needs to go up before Phoebe hits!

CCP have finally settled on "Polarized" as the final name for the new Glass Cannon mods coming a week or so after Phoebe hits. The original Blighted name wasn't popular (too WoW) and Stigmatic wasn't much better received. Anyway, whatever you want to call them, I've been having a play with them. Using an alt and Drack I thought I'd have a go at some BS brawling to compare ships fitted properly with the new Polarized Weapons and more traditional PvP set ups.

In case you missed the original post on these last Monday, "Polarized" weapons have significantly more DPS (25% from my calculations), better tracking, shorter optimal, shorter fall-off, triple ammo capacity and, here is the big one, nerf all your tank resistances to ZERO. DCU's, resistance mods, all useless and pointless to fit.

Buffer tank is the only thing you can use. T2 ships have their tank left in tatters when these guns are fitted. So, on with some good old fighting....


Navy Apocalypse vs Navy Apocalypse

I already had a PvP Navy Apoc ready to go. So I bought a second one and fitted it up with Polarized Pulses. With zero resistances I decided on trying to go for a BIG buffer. Triple 1600mm plates and triple tri-marks. Rest was all heat sinks and tracking in the lows. I placed them 10km apart and let the current PvP version have first shot.

PvP Navy Apoc - 646 DPS, 105,204 EHP
Glass Cannon Navy Apoc - 1234 DPS, 98,852 EHP.

It was actually a very close fight. The Glass Cannon Navy Apoc won but it was in mid-structure when it did so. Without a DCU that structure tends to drop quick! All in all it was very close. My alt in the PvP fit cannot use T2 pulse (she's a capital pilot so didn't get the specialisation skills) so if I had T2 pulse on that PvP fit rather than Meta 4's it might have been even closer.

Navy Apocalypse vs Vindicator

OK, this should be an easy fight. At close range a Vindicator should tear the Navy Apoc a new one. I fit the Vindicator as Glass Cannon with buffer for a laugh.

PvP Navy Apoc - 646 DPS, 105,204 EHP
Glass Cannon Vindicator - 2280 DPS, 78,344 EHP

The Vindicator won. Oh surprise, surprise! But, this was a faction fit Vindicator and it was just under half armour when it won. Worth noting that the guns on the Vindicator were probably worth more than the full Apoc fit and hull.

Its clear these guns are not made for PvP. The increase in damage is cancelled out by the uber nerfing of the tank and 1v1's are close with traditionally (and cheaper) fitted ships. As far as I can see, a glass-cannon fit ship will not be significantly better in PvP than the same ship fit with current meta 4 or T2 weapons. I do not see the small or mediums being used at all to be honest. Only clueless ISK buyers when they are fitting up a loot pinata. T2 and a proper tank is equal to a glass-cannon fit and with the T2 you aren't spunking hundreds of millions on the guns.

I'm guessing these weapons are for the post-Phoebe era when using dreadnoughts and super-carriers for structure grinding will be a lot more difficult. High DPS, triple the ammo (less reloading and less forgetting to mash F1) and no tank (as the thing you are shooting isn't going to fire back). Along with the changes already announced to structure HP's it would appear CCP has offered a carrot for structure grinding. So lets see what we can make with these new weapons for structure bashing goodness.

Talos
The highest DPS SPKATTBC (ship previously known as tier three battlecrusier) is the Talos. SPKATTBC's have always been popular structure grinders in Faction War. Same DPS, better mobility and cheaper than battleships.

Now Fit with Glass Cannon weapons it is fearsome. 1810 DPS (Void) with a 25k EHP. Not a great tank, but you won't explode if someone drops a bomb on you.

Full rack of Polarized Neutron Blaster Cannons
Whatever in mids (this is structure bashing, point, web, prop mod not a lot of use)
Four Mag Stabs and 1600mm plate
Three Trimark Armour Rigs
5 Hobgoblin 2's

Manticore
Obviously 225 million ISK (estimated) worth of Polarized Weaponry is cheaper than the 800 million or so you'll need to fit out a Talos' top rack. So will bombers be more popular? 680 DPS (Rage torpedos) and 3k EHP. The main thing here is that the bomber still has 65km range with Rage torpedos (using two missile speed rigs) where as the Talos has to get within kissing distance. 60 torpedos rather than 20 means less reloading and less forgetting to press F1 when on long grinds.

Cloak plus Stigmatic Torpedo Launchers
AB and three small shield extenders for buffer tank (may be a TP could be an idea?).
Two BCU's
Two torp speed rigs (could go for shield extender rigs for less range but more tank)

Oracle
Something with a bit more range than the Talos and more DPS than the Manticore would be the Oracle. A currently popular structure grinding boat especially with T1 crystals meaning no ammo costs, no reloading and no missed DPS because you forgot to activate the guns after they reloaded because you're to busy link lolcats in local. 1344 DPS (Conflag) and 26k EHP.

Full rack of Polarized Mega Pulse
Whatever in the mids
Four heatsinks, Tracking Enhancer, 1600mm plate
Triple tri-mark


Yes, I think there is no doubt these weapons are designed for grinding structures. Which begs the question, why make small and medium versions of them?

BB60 - They're CCP, They March on Fearlessly.

Welcome to the continuing monthly EVE Blog Banters and our 60th edition! For more details about what the blog banters are visit the Blog Banter page.

* * * * *

Jakob Anedalle of Jakob's Eve Checklist blog asks:

With Phoebe about to land, CSM Minutes now out, and more of CCP Seagull's vision from Eve Vegas it appears CCP has a bold roadmap, is making big changes, and is willing to take a hit in the short term to see it through. What do you see as the measurable signs that will tell us that they've succeeded? What outcome will we see as players? Is it concurrent player count or something else?

-o0o-

The title of my post is obviously taken from the song HTFU. This is apt I feel given that, despite howls of doom and gloom from the player-base, CCP have pressed on with the long-distance travel changes. Of course the "player-base" here being the very vocal forum users. 

However, is CCP taking the chance of a short-term hit in implementing these changes?

I'm going to say... Yes.

I would think that many super-capital and cyno alt accounts will go dormant as the Phoebe-era takes hold. Super capitals are more likely to be used in defense rather than attack. Players may stop their sub and only re-sub when their sov is threatened. This could lead to a reduction in alt accounts with super capitals and cynos mothballed.

Entities like PL will not be be affected same degree as the larger sov-holding alliances. However there may be less of a need of multiple cyno alts for people like PL.

So yes, CCP is likely to have less subs in the short term as a result of these changes.

However, CCP is gambling on the long term and more alliances taking space in null-sec. Get more players interacting and claiming their 'home patch'. They want more long-term players, a more dynamic null sec.

The question asked is what will be the measure of success. Peak concurrent player count? Its not the best, but as I see it, it is a good measure of the health of the game. It was highlighted on Twitter earlier today that yesterday, Sunday the 2nd, the count was up 3000 on the previous week. Personally I think the reason for this is the last chance to move before Phoebe hits. That was pretty much confirmed by my CFC colleague here in the office. The temporary blue status that many of the blocs have with each other runs out at downtown tomorrow. So yesterday was the last weekend day before these temporary standings are reset and travelling in a carrier becomes much more of a ball-ache. My mate here was helping one of his corp mates move regions as the CFC has abandoned Delve and the southwest as a whole, meaning those CFC's pilots based there need to be moved before tomorrow.

"It was mad. On one station in our chain of four jumps you had four cynos lit at the same time by four different entities all usually red to each other. Nobody was shooting, nobody was firing, nobody was bumping. I saw 15 jump freighters and probably the same in carriers in a matter of minutes. It was surreal. No aggression just dozens of players moving."

The real measure will be in a few weeks when the dust settles. Will CCP's gamble pay off? Will compressing the alliances into smaller pockets of space and making long distance travel a PITA lead to more subs in the long run or less as people don't need the extra alts?

For me there will be two measures.

Peak concurrent player count must always be one of the indicators. Whilst its not accurate, I myself usually have one toon on but I could have up to four, it is the best benchmark of the state of the game.

However for me personally, flying around Black Rise, the volume of "StS" is king.

What is StS? Well, that is "Ships To Shoot" obviously!

SCASSSS - The 1bn ISK Daredevil

So I am donating a prize for the Stay Frosty Frigate Free for All on the 8th November.

I shall be looking for the three most ludicrously fit frigate losses. Whether really, really, expensive or just WTF/LOLz fit. The most silly one of all gets this ridiculously over-the-top Daredevil:-

• Lows - Centii C-Type Small Armor Repairer, Damage Control II, 2 x Federation Navy Magnetic Field Stabilizer
• Mids - Coreli C-Type 1MN Afterburner, Federation Navy Stasis Webifier, Republic Fleet Warp Scrambler
• Highs - 2 x Shadow Serpentis Light Neutron Blaster, Federation Navy Antimatter Charge S, 'Upir' Small Nosferatu I
• Rigs - Small Auxiliary Nano Pump II, Small Anti-Explosive Pump II, Small Trimark Armor Pump II

Its a silly, tight fit. Will all level 5 skills there is only 0.25 CPU remaining. But the stats on it are equally silly.

4,671 EHP with 48-60 hp/sec from the repper
Armour resists of 58/44/45/50
Capacitor lasts 2m 23sec thanks to the COSMOS vampire
1367m/sec from the AB
333 DPS!
10.5 km Scram
14km 90% web

In the cargo hold there are some exotic dancers (both sexes) and booze! You yourself will need to look your best for that party in the hold so there is a 500 AUR token in there so you can buy some new threads in the New Eden Store! Oh yeah, and I stuck some ammo in there too just in case the winner is mad enough to actually use this stupidly fit and ridiculously expensive frigate!

All in all, it cost 1.082 billion ISK.

Good luck! Remember the best "WTF was that?" loss mail in the Stay Frosty FFA on the 8th will get this.... and the winner is resonsible for getting it out of Jita 5-5 :)

Night of the Haunting - Part 3

Happy Halloween! The conclusion of the three part "Scream meets Eve" horror story that has been leading up to today! Escape pod here if fiction isn't your thing.

Part 1 here
Part 2 here


Night of the Haunting - Part 3

The six remaining students stood at a crossroads in the corridor. Setta glanced behind them. The corridor behind was pitch black but she knew the body of Ylamaa was back there, impaled on the metal beam. Torch beams flashed ahead of her, illuminating the three corridors that branched off ahead.

"So do we split up?" Jark asked peering down one of the corridors.

"You got a black-tie function you're late for?" Chigas asked peering down another corridor "Be safer to stick together."

"Tell that to Zarisri and Ylamaa" Jark said. "If we split up, whatever that thing is, it can only go after one couple."

"He's got a point." Matilhelm agreed. "Chances each of these corridors leads to an exit but if we split up we put some distance between us and... it, we might have a better chance. Come on Nerwolfur we're going this way." she said walking straight ahead.

"Wait...." Setta said but Matilhelm ignored her, purposely striding on. The group watched her suddenly drop as the deck plate under her feet gave way. The five rushed over and carefully looked over the edge. She was in some sort of pit around ten feet deep. She looked up from the bottom.

"Get me out of here!" she screamed, obviously unhurt.

The boys started to hunt around for something they could use to lower down and pull her out. Setta and Ariken were on their knees leaning over. Setta looked at the bottom of the pit and saw it wasn't a deck plate Matilhelm was stood on, but what looked like a hatch. The line in the middle indicated it opened in two halves. She glanced around for more clues and saw that near the top written in Caldanese were the words 'Fill line'.

"Guys, you need to hurry, seriously." she whispered.

"Whats the rush, we're getting some peace and quiet with her down there" Nerwolfur joked.

"I don't think this was an accident." Setta whispered back. Nerwolfur looked back suddenly concerned.

"What are you whispering about! Get me out of here!" Matilhelm shrieked from the bottom of the pit. A single metallic clunk followed by a second of silence made everyone freeze. A motor could be heard starting up a few seconds later. A high speed whine emerged from the bottom of the pit. The boys rushed back and looked down to see the floor below Matilhelm's feet start to open. Matilhelm screamed as the two sides of the hatch started to pull away in opposite directions. Jark and Nerwolfur shone their torches down. As the gap widened movement could be seen below the opening hatch. Two huge drums with sharp metal teeth could be seen rotating at speed through the narrow gap.

"Oh shit!" Jark uttered "A garbage shredder!".

Matilhelm was practically dancing as the floor below her started to vanish into the sides of the pit. Nerwolfur pulled off his belt and lowered it. Matilhelm desperately reaching up to try and grab it but it was just too high. Nerwolfur stretched deeper into the pit, Jark grabbing the waistband of his jeans to stop him falling in.

"Lower! Quickly!" Matilhelm screamed, there was only 30cm of hatch left supporting her. At the last moment, before the hatch vanished into the side wall, she jumped for the belt, but missed by a good foot. Matilhelm landed dead centre of the rollers. A sickening crunch resonated up from the bottom of the pit followed by a scream of agony and terror milliseconds later. Setta couldn't avert her eyes at the horrific scene below. Matilhelm's arms where still outstretched and shaking, raised in desperation at the faces peering down at her from above. He scream was inhuman as she was slowly pulled down, the teethed rollers making mulch of her feet, calves and then thighs. As the machine ground through her pelvic region and into her stomach, blood gushed through her wide-open mouth and she stopped screaming. Setta watched as eventually her hands vanished through the one inch gap. Ariken threw up as the two boys leaned against the corridor wall in shock. Setta couldn't move. She just lay there looking down the black pit.

-o0o-

They had stopped there for five minutes. Nobody able to move or say anything. Finally Jark had helped Setta from the floor and led the five survivors down the corridor. He had found a metal pole which he now used to probe the decking in front of them to ensure there were no other garbage shredders rigged as traps.

"If he's a ghost or a spirit or whatever, why is he using traps. Why not supernatural powers?" Chigas muttered.

"There are no such things as ghosts." Setta replied.

"You saw it!" Chigas snapped back.

"I don't know what I saw! The ghost of the Jita Ripper is not haunting this derelict ship. Its a sicko copycat or someone!"

"Oh thats OK then, a madman has burnt himself all over and is wiping us out one by one. That makes me feel so much better." Chigas moaned.

They walked on in silence eventually coming to a door that blocked their way. A 30cm circular hole had been blown out of the middle.

"What the frack happened here?" Jark asked as he looked at the door. "Someone attack the inside of a Drake with a cannonball?"

Chigas went up to the door and pulled the manual release.

"Locked from the other side. But I can reach through that hole....." he said as he put his head through the hole to see where the lock was. Setta was about to scream for him to stop but it was too late. There was a metallic clink and Chigas's headless corpse fell backwards into the corridor. The stump where his head was spurting bright red blood in a high arc as he fell.

"FRACK!" Nerwolfur screamed dodging back. "Nobody do anything! Assuming everything is a trap!"

He shone his torch in the hole in the door. A bright silver blade, coated in red blood, was slowly swinging backwards and forwards. Jark took his metal pole and shoved it through to block the blade before reaching around and releasing the lock on the otherside. The four stepped over Chigas's body as Jark led on, Ariken had to be held as she was in some sort of a daze.

-o0o-

As they went further, the condition of the ship deteriorated. The damage was heaviest on this section of the ship. They found the corridor ahead was blocked by collapsed deck plates but a hole had been punched in the floor by some large explosion. The four started to climbed down the debris to an identical corridor on the next deck down.

"Light! Its a way out!" Nerwolfur pointed down the corridor and ran.

"Wait!" shouted Jark and Setta together as they were helping Ariken down the last of the climb.

"Shit he's not thinking!" Setta swore as they took off after him. They advanced much slower with Jark taking the lead and the two girls behind him, sight of Nerwolfur had been lost a minute before. Their torches scanned ahead looking for any traps as Jark swept the metal pole not taking the chance if there were any Nerwolfur might not have set them off. Setta's torch beam swept across the floor and illuminated a shoe. They stopped suddenly. Nerwolfur's other foot was the other side of the corridor, too far apart to be still connected. For the second time in half and hour Ariken threw up. The touch light showed Nerwolfur had been carved in two. Jark carefully advanced swinging the metal pole. There was a clatter as a 10cm piece of the pole fell to the floor. Jark shone his torch and noticed a drop of blood seemingly hovering in the air.

"Nano-wire" he stated. Setta who was comforting the distraught Ariken looked up questioningly.

"The asshat strung a nano-wire in the middle of the corridor from ceiling to floor. Its like a wire but only one atom thick. It is extremely strong and obviously the sharpest thing in existence. Nerwolfur ran through it and it carved himself in two".

He help lift Ariken to her feet, she wasn't coping well now. "Don't look down and keep to the edge" he said as he guided her down the corridor past the two halves of Nerwolfur and the deadly wire. They continued down towards the light. As they neared they could see it was an airlock door. The bight lights of the hanger outside shining in through the plexiglass viewport set in the centre of the door. Jark tried the manual release handle.

"Locked, but there must be..." he stopped speaking as a loud hissing started.

Setta was about to say run when she, along with Jark and Ariken, collapsed unconscious.

-o0o-

Setta started to come around. She tried to sit up but she couldn't she was tied down, her head flipped from side to side. She was still in the wreckage of the Drake she was strapped to some sort of table. She could see Jark slumped over in the corner, his ankles bound and his wrists tied behind his back.

"Jark!" she hissed quietly, no response. She repeated it a bit louder trying to wake him but not to alert whoever, or whatever, was out there. She hissed at her boyfriend a third time, he stirred.

"Come on Jark. Wake up!" she pleaded quietly.

Jark's eyes snapped open and he looked confused for a second. He then came fully around.

"I cannot move." Setta whispered. Jark nodded and she saw him wriggle. After a minute of trying to move he started to move his hands up and down. She saw by the way his arms were moving moving that he must be rubbing his bonds against something. After a few seconds there was a snapping noise and he pulled his hands from behind his back. He quickly untied his feet and rushed over to Setta who was secured to a table top. She saw the jagged metal Jark had used to cut through his bonds. Their first bit of luck in a long time she thought. He unsnapped the clasps of the fasteners holding her down and lifted her to the floor. They quickly moved out to the next room. There they froze. Ariken was strapped to a table as Setta had been. Setta let out a sob as they neared. Ariken's naked body looked like she'd been through hell. Immediately Setta thought back to the news stories detailing the acts of the Jita Ripper. She saw Ariken's body had numerous fingers and toes missing, those few remaining were missing their nails. Her lips had been hacked off and one of her eyes was missing. The other looked blackened like it had a flame held against it. It was just like she'd read in the the more graphic news stories of the Rippers acts. Shallow cuts crossed her body, indisbursed with black lines where she had been burnt with a blow-torch or something similar. She noticed the small trolley next to the table, she'd been right about the blow-torch. Along with the small hand-held blow-torch there were various knives, scalpels, pliers, metal-snips and skewers laid out on top. All covered with blood, small bits of flesh and clumps of hair. Setta placed her hand over her mouth expecting to be sick. Jark pressed his fingers to her neck and shook his head slowly when he found no pulse.

"Come on." he whispered quietly.

They continued through the wrecked ship however they were much slower now. Without their torches they were reduced to feeling their way along the corridor. After a few minutes they saw a light at the end of the corridor. Remembering what happened the last time, they took their time, sticking to the edge of the corridor to try and avoid any other traps. The corridor opened into a large, well lit room. Racks of drones where stacked against the wall and hatches lined the back wall. One hatch was slightly open, not a lot, but the light from outside was visible.

"Stay here, it must be a trap." Jark whispered as he stayed close to the wall and slowly worked his way around the drone bay to the hatch. He kept an eye on the drones, fearing one might activate at any minute and attack them. Setta watched intently as he appeared to stop and read something on the side wall in the alcove of the partially open hatch. He suddenly pulled his sleeve up and intently looked at his arm left. She was utterly confused. He finally waved her over indicating it was safe. As she approached he turned his back on her and picked something off the lip of the hatch.

"What's happening....."

Jark span around and backhanded her hard across the face. She screamed in pain and shock, falling to the floor. Setta looked up as Jark stood over her, a large Matari style hunting knife in his hand. It glistened in the light as he waved it in her face. He looked up and she followed his gaze. High above them, on a grey metal catwalk, stood the figure. She could see him clearly now. The horrifically burnt skin covered his entire body. His head was almost featureless, the nose, lips and ears having burnt away. Only the cold blue eyes remained. She knew it was impossible for anyone to be still alive and look like that.

"Apparently he says I can go free if I make you make enough noise. He tried his old hobby on Ariken. I'm guessing having his dick burnt off means he couldn't do a proper job on her. He wants me to do a proper job on you. Sorry babes but given the choice between you and me, well, I choose me!" he snarled as he dropped on top of her and started ripping her clothes off. She fought back with all her strength as he tore her blouse open and pulled her skirt up.

"Come on bitch, scream! He wants he hear you scream!" he snarled as he slapped her hard across the face again.

Setta was doing her best to get him off her but he was far too strong. He took the knife and drove it into her shoulder, twisting it as he did. Her scream reverberated around the drone bay.

"That's more like it. A few more like that and we'll start with the fun stuff!" he sneered. "I cannot wait to..."

He never finished his sentence. Setta had worked her right leg free from under him and brought her knee up with all her strength between his legs. Jark somersaulted over her head and landed groaning in agony, his hands cradling his groin. With a scream Setta pulled the knife from her shoulder and rolled over, sinking the blade deep into his exposed leg which brought a scream from the prone man. She rose and quickly staggered over to the hatch that was slightly open clutching her wounded shoulder. Her blouse was ripped open and blood ran down her pale skin staining her white lace bra crimson. When she neared she saw the writing on the wall that Jark had been reading. It looked like someone had wrote it in blood with a finger.

"Look at your left forearm. See the needle mark? You have been injected with a pathogen and have less than an hour to live. There is a knife by the hatch. Take the girl and make her scream louder than that Caldari slut I spent the last few hours working on. If you put on a show worthy of me, if she suffers greatly before you kill her, if her screams are music to my ears, I will give you the antidote and your freedom. I am no longer able to make them enjoy the experience as much as I could before the fire. You must do it. Make it a good show, I am watching. Make her suffer and you will live. TJR."

"Come back here you bitch!" Jark growled. He was struggling to his feet, the Matari hunting knife still buried deep in his inner thigh.

Setta glanced at the hatch. She might be able to squeeze through, but it would be tight. It might also be set to snap shut when someone tried crawling through it, similar to the traps they had previously discovered. However if she didn't, she would need to face Jark. He was too strong and she'd not be able to take him by surprise again.

"I'm going make you scream so hard you'll snap your vocal chords!" he snarled as he pulled the knife from his leg bringing a hiss of pain through his clenched teeth. A bright red jet of blood shot out. He limped menacingly towards her, bloodied knife in hand. Setta bent down and started to squeeze through the waist-high tight gap in the hatch. Jark picked up the pace but was limping badly, a bright trail of thick, red blood marking his path. Setta breathed in as she tried to push herself through the narrow gap.

"Where you going? You aint going to fit through there you bitch!" Jark was nearing now but was also slowing. Setta watched as he dropped to his knees. He pulled himself towards her with his hands, the knife scraping across the deck plates. His face was deathly white now from the blood loss but her was still coming. Finally she managed to squeeze through and out onto the narrow ledge the other side. She was out of the Drake class battlecruiser now, but the ledge which she stood on was less than 50cm wide. It was only a drone launching platform and there was no way down. The hanger floor loomed up at her, some 20 metres below. She looked side to side but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped. Suddenly she felt a burning sensation and glanced down. The tip of the hunting knife protruded through her midriff. The bright silver tip bursting out of her pale skin.

"SCREAM! SCREAM YOU BITCH!" Jark yelled through the narrow hole, his arm poking through the narrow gap where he had reached through to stab her. "Scream!" He sobbed quietly before he collapsed down behind the hatch, blood still pumping out from the severed artary in his leg.

Setta refused to scream despite the pain and despite the fact her legs had given way and she was now falling through the air, the ground rushing up to meet her.

-o0o-

"Good morning Chief." the detective said unhappily as his uniformed superior stepped out of the unmarked police vehicle. Various police and emergency medical vehicles blocked the road. Men both in uniforms and bright white crime-scene overalls were milling about doing their duty.

"I'd hardly call it good. Deuverin. Frack me, the media is having a field-day. Eight teens murdered, on the Night of the Haunting, whilst camping out in the Jita Ripper wreck! The Scope has been onto the press department all morning. Other rags aren't either bothering to wait to get any official facts and are publishing every rumour that is leaking from here."

"Not that it makes a huge difference sir, but it is seven dead so far. One is critical and they are bring them out now. The medics needed nearly an hour to stabilize them before they could be moved."

The Chief rubbed his head.

"We got any idea what happened here?" he groaned.

"Looks like the interior of the ship was booby trapped. There is all sorts of high-tech shit installed all over the wreck. We've got bomb-disposal still working on a dozen traps that they didn't get triggered and those are just the ones we know about. Someone lured these kids her and then locked them inside a fracking house of horrors from what we can tell. Its got to be a lunatic sir, but one with a high IQ. Some were very simple traps like a container of acid in the suspended ceiling or a nano-wire stretched across the corridor. Others were very different needing portable power-systems wired into the Drake and all computer controlled. We've even got one vic that was knocked out with gas and then sliced and diced like the ripper did to his victims. Exactly same MO done on her as one of the original Ripper vics right down to which fingers and toes he cut off and the cut and burn mark patterns on their body. Whoever did this had access to, or hacked into, either the original police files or the medical reports."

"You sure about the perp being a man and hacking our systems? We got other theories floating about you know!" The Chief said with a sarcastic tone rolling his eyes. He produced his datapad and passed it the detective. Deuverin read the headline on the news site and groaned loudly.

"Seriously? We have real-life, serious news outlets running stories about, what was it?" he paused looked at the datapad again "The vengeful spirit of a dead serial killer re-enacting his murders? Thats balls, some sicko did this and we'll catch him sir."

A group of police came through the small door in the massive wall with a number of evidence bags they had filled from the scene. One pealed off the group and approached the two senior men.

"Detective. We found these in some kind of control room inside the Drake. They where a bit out of place so I thought I'd bring them to you direct." he stated holding up a pair of clear plastic bags. Deuverin took them and inspected the contents through the clear plastic.

"What in Divinities Edge are these? " he asked with a puzzled expression at the same moment the door swung out again. A medical gurney was pushed though. Setta lay on the gurney on her side with a oxygen mask over her face. The three men turned.

"She going to make it?" Deuverin asked the medic pushing the trolley.

"Touch and go. She was stabbed through the kidney and she'd shattered her spine, both legs and pelvis in the fall. She's stable for now. We think she's unconscious but with the massive damage to the spine we don't know."

The men fell silent.

"Her eyes are open. Can she see us?" the Chief asked bending down to look into Setta's face.

"We don't know. Her spine is pretty much wrecked, she'll need a new one. She could be just paralysed and can see you, she could also be higher-function brain-dead and its just the stem keeping the heart and lungs going. She's technically alive and thats as much as we know until we get her in for a scan." the medic replied pushing the trolley towards a waiting ambulance.

Setta just lay there on her side. She could indeed see them all and hear every word. Her wide open eyes were taking everything in. She just couldn't move anything, not even her eyes, but she was aware of everything around. She could see the street that they first arrived in where the limo had dropped them off. She could see that the small security booth next to the door had vanished, a light coloured square on the floor where it once stood. She could see the emblem on the door was not the large Federal Police crest that she saw when they came in but a company called "JP Ship Reclamation", but most of all she could see the one-piece 'burns victim' latex costume and the security guard uniform in the clear plastic evidence bags in Detective Deuverin's hands.

The end.

Betrayed

You are in the pub with your mates. There are a lot of you there so your not bothering with 'rounds' and instead have gone for the "Beer Kitty". Everyone has stuck £20 in a pint glass in the centre of the table and thats used to pay for the rounds of drinks. However when nobody is watching you hide the glass under your coat, make your excuses and leave. Yeah you just lost a gang of friends, but look, you have made £120!

Anyone think thats a good idea? Hopefully not. Now put that story in an Eve Online setting and suddenly some people see that behaviour as perfectly reasonable.

Last week a post appeared on my corporations directors forum. Entitled "Corp Theft", I groaned. We'd been hit. As I read it, reading how the "Apprentice" hangers had been cleared out which are the lowest level of access reserved for our noobies and junior members, I thought it must have been someone who recently joined. Then I saw the name of the accused.

I was already formulating my reply in my head. "Nope, you've got your facts wrong. There is no way that guy would steal from the us. I've been flying with him since 2008. We've got hammered together on corp meet ups. I introduced him to the wonder that are gentlemens clubs! We've been to Fanfest twice. I gave his girlfriend a ticket for FF 2014! I bought them enough drinks to float a battleship this year! Smeg, his GF moaned at fanfest that she created her toon in a rush and wasn't happy with her so I contracted over a spare PLEX I had so she could resculpt. No way he'd stab me in the back like that after I vouched for him and got him into this corp. No way."

Minimising Chrome, I booted up Eve and looked in the Apprentice Hanger. Everything, from ammo to frigate and destroyer hulls, were kept in containers so everything was logged. I looked at the logs, and unlike those ones that the GM's review when responding to your petitions, these logs did show something. They showed 'he' had emptied everything.

I checked the "Old Bro's" channel for ex-members of the corp we were both directors in back in the day. I asked if he was there. No answer. I sent a convo request. No answer. It was late and I was about to go to bed. I posted in the directors forum, asking them to wait until I had a chance to speak to him before taking action. There must be a logical answer why he did this.

Just before I closed everything down he responded. Yes he did it just as we left faction war to go full pirate. He wanted to stay in faction war and decided to take everything he could before he dropped and joined another FW corp.

Getting shafted like that really hurt. Getting shafted like that for a mere 500m ISK really, really hurt. They say never go to bed angry. I went to bed f******* fusrious.

The one question I keep asking is "Why?". Its probably a question many Eve Online players ask after they suffer a corp theft. If its a random guy especially new ones is because they were planning it or just an asshat, but why do so called friends do it?

1. There is no real come-back in Eve Online.
The asshat in the story at the start of this post could well end up 'paying' for his actions. His (now) ex-mates might report it to the police and he could be charged with theft and gain a criminal record. His mates might decide to take matters in their own hands and he could end up with a black eye and a swollen lip. There are many things that could happen to you in real life if you stole from friends. Online, nothing is probably going to happen to you. Some hate-mail. Some name-calling. Some bitter disappointment. A tip off of to your new CEO. However no real punative action will be taken from you. Its crime without the potential for time!

2. Online Friends are Different to RL Friends.
I suppose there is some truth here. Knowing someone online is never the same as knowning them in real life. They is the internet between you and them. Therefore do they think stabbing you in the back isn't really like stabbing a real life mate in the back in real life?

3. Your Online Character is not 'You'
Many people say that they play their character as a 'dick' or not a very nice person but thats only 'roleplay'. "Oh I play Chaotic-Evil in game however in real life I am an amazingballs person". Nope. I think its the other way around, like the movie 'The Mask'. Playing a video game is escapism however its a mask that allows the real you to come out. Dick in game? Well I hate to say it but.....

4. John Gabriels Greater Internet Dickwad Theory
Then again number three above does go against the GIDT. Is it all the internets fault?

5. Weldons Law
Or may be it is just Online Gamers - Don't be a dick.

I don't know. I really don't.

Glass Cannons..... FIRE!

At Eve Vegas a new weapon type was revealed. Glass-cannon weapons! These would have the highest DPS of all equivalent sized guns but reduce all your resistances to zero! They are aiming to have them priced the same as faction guns. They are now on SiSi so I logged on to see how they do. I compared a few ships, just swapping the guns. Obviously the drawbacks mean that if you are fitting these you'll need to re-think your entire fit. DCU's and resistance mods are out. Buffer tank and DPS mods are in!

Autocannon Thrasher

Ahhhh the good old Thrasher. Already a nice DPS boat but what about with the new weapons?

With T2 Auto Cannons and faction DPS ammo - 311 DPS and 6,440 EHP in Client

With Blighted Auto Cannons and faction DPS ammo - 388 DPS and 5,508 EHP in Client

So that is a 25% jump in DPS with 15% less hitpoints. Might be worth it? Then again the price these guns will be? So no, not really.

Stealth Bomber

Now this is where I see a possible use.

With T2 Torpedo Launchers and Rage Torps - 487 DPS and 2065 EHP in Client

With Blighted Torpedo Launchers and Rage Torps - 608 DPS and 1987 EHP in Client

Again a 25% jump in DPS but only a 4% drop in effective hit points. Mmmmm might need to check the maths there. It was a Manticore.

Naga

A useful ship to bring to a structure bash.

With T2 Neutron Blasters and Void - 1291 DPS and 15,610 EHP

With Blighted Neutron Blasters and Void - 1614 DPS and 13,279 EHP

So, guess what, its a 25% jump in DPS again. Plus a 15% slide on the EHP. After I'd done this I thought the drop in EHP will be actually higher in use. I did these numbers docked so the EHP of the normal ship didn't take into account the active shield hardeners.

Vindicator

My highest DPS subcap. Lets be silly! I wonder if anyone will risk a Vindi for the increased DPS. Realising my mistake with the Naga I undocked the Vindi to get the proper results.

With T2 Neutron Blasters and Void - 1318 DPS* and 184,404 EHP

With Blighted Neutron Blasters and Void - 1646 DPS* and 78,344 EHP

25% jump in DPS but a massive 60% reduction in tankage!

* Gun damage, excludes drones

However the numbers above are just swapping the weapons. They actually need to be refit as there is no use for a DCU or tank resistance mods now. Oh yes.... 2300 DPS with Drones and same tank as before! Thats a massive increase by removing armour hardeners and the DCU and swapping to more damage, tracking or eWar mods.

So the use of Blighted weapons? You get the 25% more damage and 3x ammo storage (240 vs 70 on large blasters) plus better tracking (0.0886rad/sec vs 0.077rad/sec on T2 large blasters), less capacitor use (nearly 9GJ vs 12 GJ on T2 large blasters) and of course the 25% damage increase but things to consider are on top of the above stats Glass Cannon weapons have:-

• Shorter Optimals (5940m vs 7425m on T2 large blasters)
• Shorter Falloff (6000m vs 7500m on T2 large blasters)

The small versions I don't see being used much. May be in Hi-Sec Burner missions but not so much in PvP. Their price tag will make them prohibitive.

Stealth Bombers? Yes, I see this being their most popular use. Anything that cuts the time of a Faction War bunker bust, a POCO, iHub or unarmed PoS bash by 25% is going to be popular.

The SPKATT Battlecruisers (ships previously known as tier 3 BC) with their 1600 DPS looks tasty, same DPS as my Vindicator with normal T2 guns, but they are the true glass cannons. With the right fitting, implants and links you can nearly get a Destroyer hull to have the same EHP as one of those with Blighted weapons. However the potential DPS output means they might be popular with structure grinds. Just watch for bombs!

Battleships? I don't see it. The tank nerf is so strong that in PvP the extra DPS isn't going to make up for the reduced survivability. Remember Blighted weapons only come in super-short-range flavours. Plus the price of these guns will make your top rack break a billion on a normal BS. For a capital gank, may be. For a fleet fight? Nope.

Expect to see carebears in high-sec with these weapons and structure-grinding stealth bombers and DPS battlecruisers in low and null. I just cannot see many PvP ships using them outside your usual ISK-buying, pinata-flying, clueless noob. These weapons are basically for structure grinding and I'm not seeing any other real use for them.

The forum thread for Blighted Weapons soon reached half a dozen pages before the modules even showed up on SiSi. Why? Blighted? BLIGHTED? The name wasn't entirely popular. Now we have Stigmatic. Still time for a name change TBH!

SCASSS - Amarrian Pie

Made me chuckle.

Night of the Haunting - Part 2

This is part two of Night of the Haunting. A horror/slasher piece centred around the New Eden equivalent of Halloween. Escape pod here if you're not into your Eve-O fiction.

The story reaches its climax next week, Friday 31st October, All Hallows Eve.......

In other SCASS fictional news, the latest novelette (or is it a novella I cannot remember?) is at a place I'm finally happy with, sort of, ish, may be. If anyone wants to give it a proof-read and check my Ingrish spelin I'll toss some ISK your way and give you a credit at the start. 22,000 words, action-adventure. Drop a mail in-game to Drackarn or the his name at Gmail dot com.



Night of the Haunting - Part 2

Ariken led the group into the pitch black hull of the wrecked Drake class Battlecruiser. The airlock looked like it had been blown open from the inside. The corridor walls were scorched and evidence of the fires and explosive decompression that enveloped the ship were all around. The group turned on the torches that Ariken had handed out as they had neared the airlock, the feint glow from the emergency lighting units which were still active at the entrance. The beams illuminated small areas on the devastated corridor walls, casting eerie shadows.

"Apparently this ship was finally caught in an asteroid belt in the system of Notoras in low-sec." Ariken explained as she ducked below a mass of wires that had fallen from the corridors ceiling. "The Capsuleer Kirith Darkblade disabled the ships warp drive with a warp disruptor beam and then destroyed the ship. Over eighty crew died on this ship when it blew, a mere 18 made it to the escape pods. However, nobody really knows how many the Jita Ripper slowly sliced and diced in his quarters here over the months leading up to that battle. The wreckage was towed back here to the heart of the Federation for forensic investigation as the Federation had jurisdiction in Notoras."

As they got further into thje ship the emergency lighting flickered and died. Now there was only torch light. Setta hugged in close to Jark. It was strange but Ariken's commentary was getting to her. She assumed that it was because this was not a made-up ghost story, it was all real. She had read about the murders in the news. A maniac who pretended to be a capsuleer to seduced women only to drug them and then slowly kill them once he'd had his way with them. Just as authorities were closing in on him, a real capsuleer with the same sick perversion rescued him and they together killed at least another dozen before being taken down in a dead-end solar system, deep in low-sec, where they were hiding.

"The problem is that the Rippers body was never actually found." Ariken continued "Some say he made it to an escape pod but the hero Capsuleer attacking the Drake scooped him up and sold him to the powerful father of one of his victims. They say the father had him tortured for days before killing him!" Ariken paused as she squeezed past part of a bulkhead that had collapsed, partially blocking the corridor. "Some say he was incinerated in the fire that engulfed these very corridors as he tried to escape, half burnt to death before being claimed by the cold vacuum of space. However, some say that he never truly died. That you cannot kill true evil. That his charred, undead body still walks these corridors, looking for his next victim!"

Suddenly the area in front of the group where Ariken stood was plunged into darkness. Ariken screamed. This caused everyone else to scream. Ariken's laughter could be heard as she turned the torch back on.

"Bitch" was muttered by several of the party under their breath.

Finally they reached their destination, light spilled from a door ahead into the dark corridor. The door itself was half open and the corridor side of it showed the burns and explosive damage like the rest of the corridor. However, it must have been sealed during the battle as the cabin itself had been protected from the fire. Inside small portable lights had been set up as well as a large selection of food and drink on one of the tables. Setta spotted various Matari ales and Gallente vodka as well as some Amarrian wines. A large datapad lay on the floor surrounded by cushions.

"Wow babes. You got this all set up." Ylamaa said checking out the cabin.

"Oh yes, I told my pet security guard exactly how I wanted it".

Nerwolfur shook his head. "Seriously, after all you put that guy through he still does this for you? You ruined his life but he's still under your spell so much he'll help organise a party for you, your boyfriend and your friends... but is not invited himself?"

"Of course! He doesn't see it that way. In fact it was he who invited me here originally for tonight, that's how I found this ship was here. I just convinced him to let me bring all my friends... oh and for him not to come. He'd do anything for me the poor boy. Come on, he did all my college work for three months and I never even let him touch me, just a simple peck on the lips until 'we got to know each other properly' which of course we never got there." she laughed "Getting him to do this was easy in comparison. Do you know why I chose this cabin specially."

"Why this one?" Setta asked already guessing the answer.

"This is where the Ripper took his victims to torture them to death!" she replied with glee.

-o0o-

Half an hour later they had their snacks and drink and had been instructed by Ariken to sit in a large circle around the large datapad on the floor. Ariken tapped it and it lit up showing a wheel. Several of the group groaned as they read the categories on the outside of the wheel. Truth, kiss, scary story, make out, dare, -1 clothing, +1 clothing, MO Contest and more.

"Spin the bottle? Seriously?" Matilhelm laughed.

"Oh yes, we're going old school." Ariken smiled. She tapped a button labeled 'start' and a small hologram appeared above the screen. It was a small Gallente man dressed like a game show host from a bad local network.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to The Spinner. I hope you will all take part in the spirit of the game! I'll be back to explain some of the more unusual tasks if anyone lands on one or where time-keeping or adjudication is needed. Good luck to one and all!" the little figure said before vanishing.

The big pointer on the screen started spinning and the categories on the outside of the wheel faded out to be replaced by their names. Ariken had obviously pre-programmed it. It stopped on Nerwolfur.

"OK Nerwolfur you're up first. Hit the spin button!" Ariken said with glee clapping her hands excitedly. Nerwolfur pressed the button that said 'spin' and the pointer started to rotate at speed as their names faded and the various categories reappeared. Slowly the pointer slowed and landed on 'kiss', immediately the pointer spun up again and their names reappeared.

"If it lands on Chigas or Jark I'm smashing this thing up!" he growled.

Ariken giggled. "I've set it so it cannot choose boy-on-boy, see the boys names are faded-out, so don't worry Nerwolfur your secret is safe, we won't all see you enjoying a smooch with Jark who you secretly love!".

The group roared with laugher as Nerwolfur glowered. The needle slowed and landed on Matilhelm. There was a collective groan from everyone else and complaints that it wasn't fun as they were boyfriend and girlfriend anyway. The two lovers smiled and leaned together for a quick kiss.

"Don't worry, plenty more spins to go!" Ariken said in a tone that worried Setta. "Anyway, it's Matilhelm's go now"

Matilhelm pressed the spin button and the pointer whizzed around again. The group watched intently as the needle slowed. It landed on '-1 clothing'. Matilhelm smiled and took off a shoe.

"Setta, your turn." Ariken stated with a grin.

Setta really didn't want to play this stupid game however she didn't want to be the only one to say it. She pressed the button and the needle span. Chigas kept glancing at Setta and the slowing needle. Setta wondered what he was hoping for. Probably for her to get 'make out' and then for him to be picked. Would she actually go through with something like that? Finally the needle landed on 'truth'. As the pointer started to spin up again and their names appeared the hologram of the man appeared.

"Looks like someone has to tell a truth. Be warned, we don't tolerate lies here on the Spinner. So grab the rod of truth before you answer!" the hologram stated with the flair that only cheesy game show hosts can.

Setta looked around confused as Ariken grabbed a small crate and handed her a small batton. It was silver and about 15cm long and 3cm wide. She looked questioningly at Ariken.

"Its a lie detector linked to the game, you have to hold it when answering a truth. Some of the categories have props you are supposed to use, we've got a selection in here. Oh goody!" Ariken stated as she pointed to the spinner. The pointer had landed on 'Ariken'. Setta heart sank realising the bitch would ask the question.

"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you for the first one." she paused and pulled a face pretending to think hard. "Are you a virgin?" Ariken asked all sweet and innocent. Chigas and Nerwolfur whooped as Setta turned scarlet.

"Come on babes. Its not a difficult one. You still got the V plates?" Ariken asked again.

Josh leaned into her.

"You don't have to answer" he whispered.

"Yes I am!" she snapped at Ariken. The hologram appeared above the spinner.

"And that is...." it paused for dramatic effect ".... the truth! Well done you. Now to the next contestant!"

Setta passed the baton back to Ariken who smiled sweetly as the little hologram man faded away. The rest of the round saw articles of clothing discarded, truths told, kisses traded and even a ghost story. Setta had been concerned that Ariken may have rigged the game but when it came to her own turn she lost an piece of clothing. However unlike the shoes that others had chosen to discard, she'd pulled her top off and was sat their in her tiny lace bra. Setta had seen all the boys catching a glimpse, even Jark. She couldn't blame them as the tiny bra left little to the imagination. It was strange that she's expose herself like that Setta thought. Nerwolfur had just lost a shoe and Matilhelm was watching the needle spin. It landed on 'make out'. Setta glanced at Nerwolfur who didn't look happy that his girlfriend was about to make out with someone and it was down to chance who it was. Setta wondered what the chances of a fight breaking out where. How would she feel if it fell on Jark? The categories faded away and the names appeared as the pointer began to spin.

"Why aren't the other girls names faded?" Matilhelm asked.

"Because girls making out is hot so I left that option on." Ariken stated. Setta noticed Nerwolfur perk up suddenly. She assumed his sudden change was that he'd gone from thinking he had a two in three chance of watching his girlfriend make out with one of his best friends to having a chance of watching his girlfriend make out with another girl. Slowly the pointer ticked around. It seemed to hover over Jark's name but finally ticked over one more. It stopped on Ylamaa's name. All the others cheered as the hologram of the host appeared.

"OK ladies and gentlemen, we have a make out! No cameras or holorecorders please, what happens in the Spinner stays in the Spinner. Contestants get ready, its a one minute challenge and I'm the official time keeper. On your marks.... get set....."

The two girls didn't wait for the word 'go' and started passionately kissing each other with hands roaming as their friends cheered. They were really putting on a show. Finally the small holographic host called a halt to the proceedings which drew a chorus of boos from the boys.

"If you're not too turned on, its your spin Setta" Ariken said. Setta leaned over and hit the spin button. She glanced at Ariken who had a smirk on her face. Everyone watched as the pointer landed on 'MO Contest'. There were glances around to see if anyone else knew what that was. The holographic host appeared.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a make-out contest! Could the contestant please select their boyfriend or girlfriend on the screen. If you don't have one here press the spin button to pick someone random."

Setta looked down and saw their names had appeared under the hologram. She reached through the hologram and pressed Jark. His name faded out and then so did the other boys names leaving just the girls. The pointer started to spin.

"Contestant, please fit the red bracelet to your loved one." the hologram said.

Ariken handed Setta a thick red bracelet that looked like a watch strap from the crate of props. She placed it around Jark's wrist. She noted the look on Ariken's face, she was up to something.

"The bracelet monitors heart rate, perspiration and six other signs of arousal." the holographic figure announced "It then gives the person a score out of 100 how turned on they are. The bracelet wearer will make-out for 30 seconds with the person we are about to pick. The bracelet wearer will then make out with the contestant for 30 seconds. We'll compare the scores to see who got the lover, loved up the most! The random choice or the lover!"

Setta glared at Ariken who was smiling smugly. She didn't need to look at the spinner to know where the pointer had landed, the look on Ariken's face said it all. It was a set up. The machine must have indeed been rigged and this was her end game. Not only would she get to make out with Setta's boyfriend as she was made to watch, she'd then show the group that she'd turned him on more than her. She was going to humiliate her in front of the group. That's why she had removed her top and sat there for an entire round in that tiny lace bra, to get pulses racing, especially Jark's. It was all a set up.

Ariken stood up and walked across the circle, an exaggerated sway in her hips. She settled in Jark's lap, wrapping her legs around his waist as the holographic host counted down. Jark kept his hands behind him, leaning back on them,. He looked at Setta in worry. In that moment it came to her, a potential way to beat the bitch. Setta smiled at Jark and nodded at him that it was OK to go along with it. She had a plan.

"Go!" the hologram announced.

Ariken wasted no time in devouring Jark. She kissed him deeply and dragged his hands up to her chest. When his hands just sat there she used her own hands on top of his to make him squeeze her chest. Sat in his lap, she ground herself into him giving it everything she could, squeezing her slender legs around him and and pulling him into her. The group swapped their attention between the couple making-out and the rising score on the screen as the bracelet on Jark relayed information. Various people called out the numbers as they climbed.

"14!"
"39!"
"56!"
"66!"

"Stop! Time is up!" the host announced. A score of 79! That'll be hard to beat! Contestant, get ready, your thirty seconds starts very soon."

Ariken climbed off Jark and wiped her wet lips with the back of her hand, looking down at Setta.

"Good luck beating that!" she sneered.

Setta climbed into Jark's lap in a similar position as the host gave a countdown. Everyone watched in expectation.

"Go!"

Setta took Jark's head in her hands and placed her lips by his ear. She whispered something quietly which nobody else could hear. She then climbed off him and took her seat. Everyone looked at her in amazement that she didn't even try.

"Decided there was no way you could compete with me?" Ariken laughed cruelly.

Setta smiled sweetly at her and pointed to the screen. There was a gasp just before the holographic host reappeared.

"91! The contestant wins! Well done!" he stated. There was a uncomfortable pause. Everyone held their breath knowing what was coming.

"She fracking cheated!" screamed Ariken "She must have hacked the game or something! She didn't do anything to him. Its impossible for her to beat me!"

Setta just leaned into Jark smiling as Ariken ranted on before storming out of the cabin. It was clear the games were over for the night.

-o0o-

Setta poured two drinks from one of the Gallente bottles. Matilhelm appeared at her side, reaching for a pair of plastic cups herself. Ariken and Chigas had not been seen for the last hour after Ariken stormed out with Chigas chasing after her like an obedient puppy. Ylamaa and Zarisri had slinked out together a few minutes later leaving Setta and Jark with Matilhelm and Nerwolfur. They had taken residency in separate darkened corners.

"So, how did you do it?" Matilhelm asked with a smile. "I've never seen anyone get one over on Ariken so well."

Setta smiled. "I simply whispered to Jark that I had taken pink pill earlier that you gave me and that he'd be getting lucky later tonight. I think I actually told him he could do anything he wanted to me."

Matilhelm burst out laughing. "Ariken worked on his little head but you worked on his big one. Thats classic!"

"Is she still around?" Setta asked.

"Yeah" replied Matilhelm "Nerwolfur went to check a bit ago and they are in the cabins two down. From the slapping sounds he heard I think Ariken is taking her frustrations out on Chigas by......"

Suddenly there was a massive crash and the entire room appeared to shake. The sound of grinding and screeching metal reverberated through the ship. Jark and Nerwolfur lept to their feet and rushed to the door. Everyone soon congregated in the corridor and shone their torches down to where the sound had come from. A section of the ship had caved in. The corridor where they had come from was completely blocked by thick, twisted metal. Setta noticed Ariken at the back of the group wearing next to nothing and holding her loose top against her bare chest. She glared at Setta when she saw her looking. Jark approached the cave-in and inspected it.

"Yeah, we're not getting back out that way! Its completely blocked."

There then followed a ten minute conversation which turned into a heated argument about what to do. Ylamaa and Zarisri wanted to call for help as their datapads were still connected to the net which was a surprise so deep inside the wrecked starship hull. Ariken had ruled out any contact as they were trespassing and tampering with police evidence. Nobody fancied a federal criminal conviction and had reluctantly agreed. It was finally decided that they should get dressed, clear up and find another way out. The couples returned to the cabins they had been occupying to get ready.

Within five minutes most were back in the corridor ready to leave.

"Where the frack are Ylamaa and Zarisri?" Ariken snapped.

"Coming!" Ylamaa said as she stepped out of the cabin down the hall. "Zarisri is just...."

A horrific scream came from inside the cabin behind her. Ylamaa turned and darted back inside, the group quickly running in after her. They burst in to find Ylamaa on the floor on her back holding her right hand in the air by the wrist, it was red and looked burnt. Zarisri was writhing on the floor in a puddle of liquid. His clothes were half dissolved and all of his exposed skin was bright red and blistered. It looked like steam was rising from him and the puddle that surrounded him. The group looked on, frozen in horror.

"Help him!" Ylamaa pleaded. Nobody moved. Nobody knew what to do. After a few seconds Zarisri shuddered and fell still.

"Shit, he's dead isn't he. Frack! What the frack happened?" Nerwolfur asked in disbelief as the girls wept.

Jark went over, not getting too near. He looked around and up at the ceiling which was dripping a light green liquid through a hole. The metal of the deck plate was bubbling.

"Must have been some corrosive liquid from a pipe up there. The collapse weakened the pipe and it happened to burst as he was under it? Man, we have got to call for help now!"

Ariken looked like she was about to object but didn't say anything. Jark pulled his datapad from his pocked. He looked at the screen puzzled.

"Chigas, you got a signal? Mines suddenly died."

Everyone took out their datapads and tried to get a signal. Nothing was getting through. Ylamaa staggered to her feet weeping and still cradling her badly burnt hand where she had touched Zarisri.

"Its the Jita Ripper. Its his ghost! He's using his powers to kill us!" she wailed.

"Get a grip there is no such thing!" Ariken snapped "The collapse must have put too much metal between us and the exit thats all. We need to move to get a signal thats all."

"I have to get out of here!" Ylamaa screamed and ran out of the cabin, vanishing down the pitch-black corridor.

"Shit! Someone get her!" Ariken shouted.

The group ran after her but she had too good a head-start, the bouncing torchlight from the chasing pack hitting her back every so often. They half saw her as she ran blind around a bend in the corridor. The group gave chase, skidding to a halt as they rounded the bend themselves. With their torches they could see it whereas Ylamaa could not. A metal support beam had smashed upwards through the deck plate. Its jagged, pointed end rising up to chest height like a spear set in the ground. Ylamaa had ran straight into it at full speed. The beam vanished into the front of her chest below her breasts and rose up out of the top of her back. She just hung there like a ragdoll, arms by her side and head leaning forward. Her body was twitching all over.

"Nobody touch her!" Matilhelm screamed as they approached.

Jark slipped past with his back pressed to the wall being careful not to knock her. He could see she was still alive as her body twitched and spasmed, impaled on the twisted metal. He saw a look of pure terror in her wide eyes which focused on him. She tried to speak but couldn't, a small trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. She twitched twice more and was still. A sudden noise further down the corridor made the six remaining students spin around in fear. They quickly pointed their collective torches in the direction of the noise. There were gasps and murmurs of horror. The torch light dimly illuminated a naked figure far down the other corridor. Even from that distance they could see it was naked and horrifically burnt. There appeared to be no features on its head, just a pair of cold, dead eyes. It stood still for a few seconds staring at them and then vanished into a side corridor. Nobody in the group dared move.

"The Jita Ripper!" Ariken whispered in horror.

To be concluded........ Part 3