Changes…

Dominion is with us and EVE, as is often the case, is in somewhat of a transition. Power bases are shifting with the new sovereignty mechanics and for a lot of pilots, myself included, times are changing.

After my respite, I returned to the game with no corp and a flashy flashy security status that didn’t exactly do me many favours when trying to remain inconspicuous…However, there was some sort of strange allure to this life, to being a lonewolf, a livewire maverick who doesn’t play by the rules…not even my own! There was something so slightly awesome about it that it gave me a new appreciation for an aspect of the game I considered completely unviable. That being said, an MMO is a social experience – something to share, not only with your enemies as they burst into dust before your very eyes but also it is an experience to share with friends.

I'm my own man! You can't tread on me! I'll fly here if I want! So NERRRR!

As is the case with every MMO I have played/dabbled/dipped into – I find that the group/guild/corp experience is the experience which keeps me coming back every day and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I found somewhere new to settle into and a bunch of hearty lads and lasses with which to spend my in game time…and that’s exactly what has happened!

My original intention was to rejoin the Faction Warfare with a great friend of mine who is currently deployed for the Gallente but something just wasn’t right about the whole idea. Inside my ever whirring brain, cogs were clashing and there was doubt where there was no doubt before. I love PvP, that much is certain…but FW is too much like…..”PvP Lite?” I think the concept is an excellent one, but it feels unfinished and is burdened with a system “occupancy” mechanic that means nothing in overall game terms. There are no real tangible benefits other than a few slight PvE related ones and FW, at least in my experience, boils down to basic blob vs. blob combat but with barely any of the politics, power plays and drama associated with the real conflicts out in 0.0. Of course it has its moments, and I have certainly enjoyed my time in FW in the past but I think the ship has sailed on it for me…at least for now.

Indeed, I wanted a new challenge. Something with more scope and room to expand and something which could potentially allow me to learn more about areas of the game I have barely explored, namely Industry and Trade. I have a very capable alt which has put a lot of time into Science and Industry and I feel that this time is going to waste and that in the grand scheme of things – I know next to nothing about the great force with drives the conflicts and skirmishes I so enjoy. It’s also an opportunity to see if I can bring in ISK from a new income source – you see? It all boils down to money in the end…

So, I signed up with the Back Alley Trading Company or BKAT as they are known. It largely came about due to some excellent and illuminating conversations with a few members (big shouts out to Casiella Truza and Chainer Cygnus) and a common passion a lot of the BKAT membership shares for the EVE Blogging community and it’s Twitter subsidiary. It’s a chance for me to fly with people with similar interests in the EVE Universe and I’m positively beaming about it from ear to ear – I have a large mouth like the Chesire Cat you see…It’s a problem sometimes but…I get by…

So…big changes to the game….big changes to MY game…and a little birdie tells me there’ll be more changes in store for me over the coming weeks and months! Well…my brain tells me…not a little bird as I guess that’s a little silly….Oh look! A Bear!

A Bear!!

What? What are you staring at? Be off with you!