Interesting Link #15: Deep-space Probing

Save yourself the hassle of scanning down a signature that has zero percent chance of being what you’re looking for.

Full guide here.

Lesser-known implant sets

Many experienced players know about the famous pirate implant sets that replace the slot 1-5 attribute-enhancing implants that younger players need so badly.

By accepting a lower attribute boost (+2 for low-grade, or +3 for high-grade implants), the player receives a substantial bonus to one aspect of their ship, which increases the more implants of the set you have plugged in.

The most famous pirate implants are, in decreasing order of fame, are:

• Slave Set: +53.63% more armor (+33.83% low-grade)
• Crystal Set: +53.63% shield boost amount (+33.83% low-grade)
• Snake Set: +24.73% increased speed (+16.02% low-grade)
• Halo Set: -20.7% reduced signature radius (-14.3% low-grade)
• Talisman Set: -38.12% faster energy neutralizer and nosferatu effect (-26.94% low-grade)

however, there are a few lesser-known implant sets that provide some interesting benefits. While of course the high-grade sets are still expensive, the low-grade sets are often quite reasonably priced.

Navy Implant Sets

• Grail Set (Amarr)
• Talon Set (Caldari)
• Spur Set (Gallente)
• Jackal Set (Minmatar)

These implant sets provide +2 or +3 attributes plus increased sensor strength for ships of the same race as their creators. It’s interesting to note that the low-grade implant sets have a fixed sensor strength bonus (+7 full set), while the high-grade implants have a percentage increase (+75.63% full set), making the low-grade sets better than the high-grade sets for cruiser-size and smaller ships.

Minor Faction Implant Sets

• Low-Grade Centurion Set (+33.83% Electronic warfare optimal range), offered by Mordus Legion
• Low-Grade Edge Set (-26.94% booster side-effect duration), offered by the Intaki Syndicate
• Low-Grade Harvest Set (+33.83% mining laser range), offered by ORE
• Low-Grade Virtue Set (+33.83% Scan probe strength), offered by the Sisters of Eve
• Low-Grade Nomad Set (-26.94% Agility), offered by Thukker Mix

Obviously, some of these implant sets will see limited use (e-war range is probably eclipsed by sensor strength for most fits, because being jammed out of your own ECM precludes using it on others), but others see solid, if niche use. Virtue sets are de rigeur for probe alts, and the Nomad set is ridiculously effective for freighter pilots, which is part of the reason why they are so expensive. Note that these sets are only available in low-grade strength.

So next time you’re browsing the market for the perfect set of hardwires for your new fit, check out some of the obscure implant sets – you might find something right up your alley.

Update: view the entire list on one page, courtesy of the Eve University wiki.

Interesting Link #14: Clandestine Courier Cargo

Got cargo that you want to hide from other players? Wrap it.

also:

Merry Christmas

So that’s what Aurum Tokens are for

So, the Christmas 2011 gifts were handed out, and it turns out that the 2000 Aurum gift is in the form of two Aurum tokens, first discovered in the pre-Crucible data dump.

This is a nice touch, since for the first time, players can actually trade Aurum.

Here’s hoping players can soon redeem more tokens from their existing Aurum totals.

Ridin’ Dirty

So a few of the corpies have decided to go on a road trip up North, because all the cool kids are doing it. Problem is, I’m running out of jump clones.

Never fear, I say to myself. I have that clone in Fade left over from the fall of Mostly Harmless that I can roll with. It has a couple of attribute implants so might as well see how far I get, in stead of just taking a pod express.

So, I jump clone in, say hi to the Fatal Ascension guys I chat with in local, and occasionally do market pvp against.

Problem #1: No ship

So, I buy a Stealth Bomber and all the modules I need. Even some torps, in case I see something that begs to be popped.

Problem #2: No access to fitting service.

Welp.

Scratch that plan. Put everything on public contracts, search public contracts for pre-fit ships in station.

1. Salvage Thrasher? Nope
2. Rigged Harbinger with no prop mod? Nope
3. Long point, honor tanked Hawk, a ship I have never flown?Yes please

So, I picked up the Hawk and strapped myself in. It doesn’t have a cloak, but at least it has a Micro-warp drive.

Problem #3: all the rest of my stuff

I had a bunch of gear that I have accumulated in Fade. I sold most of it off over the last few months; some for a decent profit, since I picked up a few bargains in fire sales. However, I still had hundreds of millions of isk worth of combat boosters that haven’t sold, indicating that perhaps FA wasn’t really cool with the whole drug scene. So, I deleted the sell orders and shoved them into the cargohold. At the very least, it would make for a comedy lossmail.

With nothing else remaining, I set course for thirty jumps through hostile nullsec (because what could possibly go wrong) and undocked.

Load grid. Thrasher waiting for me. Nonchalantly warp to the outgate before he could lock.

Next system, warp to the outgate because d-scan is for wimps. Thrasher follows me ten seconds behind. Jump on contact, expecting a gatecamp with bubble, because that’s where the MH guys used to bottle up hostiles trying to escape the I-UU pocket. Nope? Oh well, warp to zero, see the thrasher pilot enter local as I enter warp. The chase continues for the next dozen systems until he gives up.

Check out Cloud Ring from afar while touring through Pure Blind. It’s pretty, and reminds me of a green, uncooked donut. Fail to pop a shuttle that cross-jumps me, then realise that my launchers weren’t loaded /o\. Scare a Helios and Buzzard on a gate in Venal as they cloak up in a hurry, then arrive at my destination without fuss.

I put my tray table in the upright position and unbuckle my seatbelt. The familiar adrenaline-rush of nullsec ebbs away, but the warm glow remains.

It’s good to be home.

Open For Business

After the recent bout of unpleasantness, AL3XAND3R is pleased to announce that the Customs Offices in Nalvula (0.4)  are open for business.

It’s a prime location for planetary manufacturing:

• one jump away from highsec
• eight jumps from Jita
• many barren and temperate planets for manufacturing
• a wide mix of planet types to extract from
• Stations with refinery and manufacture slots

and our customs rates are quite reasonable:

• 5% for neutrals
• 1% for blues (contact our diplomats for pricing)

We’re even recruiting, if you want to join in the fun.

All this could be yours

PS: we promise not to shoot neutrals at customs offices, in case you were wondering, but only blues get to call for assistance…

Good Post in Jita Park Shocker

Many people (myself included) have attempted to articulate the interdependence of Eve on those players that everyone loves to hate – high-sec players.

Malcanis has posted a lengthy but interesting analysis of high-sec players that I encourage you to read. It lays out the broad categories of players who would never leave high-sec and what they are looking to get out of Eve. He doesn’t preach a solution but he does propose ways to either encourage or discourage them from certain play styles.

Personally, my thoughts on how I would ‘encourage’ the various play styles are:

• Casual players are time-poor and want instant action, be it pve or pvp. For PvE, they need faster missions. For PvE,  Red vs Blue would be great for them, but perhaps a better way would be competitive missions: two ships enter a deadspace, one ship leaves with a mission reward; one leaves in a pod.
• Independent players should be encouraged to meet new players and hopefully find a new niche. Incursions are excellent for this.
• Commercial players need incentives to go into low-sec and sell there, both to seed their market, encourage others to go there, and to provide exciting, high-value targets. Both carrot and stick can work here, from increased sales tax in highsec, to increased charges for high-sec manufacturing and research slots, to decreased costs and build times in low-sec. The important thing is to put a price on the safety that an industrialist has when operating in high-sec.
• Carebears are risk-averse, so don’t force them to be. They love the grind of making isk, so provide more things for them to spend it on.

Anyway, go on, read it.

Neural Remaps Buffed

Following the issues surrounding players’ expectations of the 2011 Christmas gift option of a neural remap, CCP has adjusted how extra remaps work.

Previously, the remap cooldown timer only kicks in once all bonus remaps are used, which means someone with no remaps will be saving a variable amount of waiting; possible 12 months, but if the timer was just about to reset anyway, then it would be redundant.

Now, the timed remap is used first, as CCP Pleognost explains:

Bonus remaps never expire. After the code update, there will be two ways to remap:

• You will be able to remap normally. This option is only available for use when a year has elapsed from your last “normal remap”.
• You will be able to instantly remap by using a “bonus remap” – these are the same as the remaps that newbies receive when they create their characters. When switching to the new system, you will keep any bonus remaps you had previously, and these will never expire.

When remapping, the system will first see if you can remap normally (on the annual timer). If you can, it will set your remapping timer and permit you to remap. That timer will then begin ticking down, and, one year later, you will be able to remap normally again.

If your timer is ticking, then the system requires you to use a bonus remap in order to remap your attributes. If you do not have any, you have to wait.

If you elect to use a bonus remap, your timer will not be affected.

Let’s say that you have no bonus remaps at all – you’ve used up your newbie bonus remaps and haven’t received any since. If you remapped normally on the 1st of December, 2011, you will then have to wait until the 1st of December, 2012 in order to remap again normally.

If you take the neural remapping Christmas gift, then you can use that bonus remap to remap at any time between when you receive the gift and the 1st of December, 2012. If you do so, then you will still be able to remap your attributes normally on the 1st of December, 2012. If you decide to wait until past the 1st of December, 2012 – let’s say to the 2nd of December, 2012, then you will remap normally and not use your bonus remap.

This is a massive buff to neural remaps, and very convenient to new players who face the tension between skilling up essential support skills and essential combat skills but only being remapped for one.

Nice work, CCP

… a shame if it got destroyed

Proof that there’s always a bigger fish:

Report: Customs Office at planet _______ XII has entered reinforced mode
From: CONCORD
Sent: 2011.12.13 20:57

Customs Office at planet _______ XII has recently entered reinforced mode.

Reinforced mode will end, and the Customs Office will become vulnerable, at 2011.12.15 __:__.

Aggressor: Justin Barta
Aggressor’s Corporation: Spricer
Aggressor’s Alliance: Raiden.

Christmas Gifts

CCP has released its Christmas gift for 2011, and this time, it is allowing players to choose which gift to redeem.

Jester has an analysis of the estimated value of the various gift packs, saving me the trouble, however one gift stands out.

Neural Surgery

• Attribute Remap

That’s a bold move, especially when you recall what happened last time the idea was floated. However, this is a bit different for one reason:

1. It’s a gift

What I think will happen is that a large majority of players will select a neural remap, validating CCP’s hunch that, while players generally don’t like the concept of Pay-to-Win, they will happily accept Gifts of Win, and neural remaps are in high demand.

Then CCP will then use the code for the redemption-shop functionality to institute a Player Rewards system like RIFT and many other MMOs have. Same effect (pay CCP money, get delicious rewards) but without the distasteful connotations.