The Curious Case of the Accidental Scam

This morning I made a startling discovery. It is way easier to scam in Eve Online than I originally thought. In fact, scamming is so easy; you can do it accidentally. What to know more? Found out how by sending me 250 Million ISK in game! All ISK transfers should be made directly to Arydanika.

I’m just kidding. You don’t have to send me 250 Million ISK. Well, you can, but it would be out of the kindness/stupidity of your heart.

So, last night I logged on to my YouTube account to switch the two commercials[1] I did for Alliance Tournament X from private to public since the Tourney is over. As I logged on to my account I noticed I had a new comment and went to check it out. It read:

4 months and I still don't have a photo. I'm starting to think this is bullshit...
– MindVisionMachinima

 The message was posted in the comment section of the Fits of Angel Commercial[2] I did a while back. It was a parody commercial based on the ASPCA commercial featuring the song “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. It was also the first Eve Online I made that wasn’t absolutely shit. In fact, it was so good the handsome and debonair CCP Manifest (aka Mr. Atlanta) linked the video via the Eve Online Twitter and Facebook account.

When I initially read the message; I just blew it off. Clearly the guy was an internet troll of sub par standard. I mean, the commercial is a parody and obviously a joke. No one would be dumb to send me 18 Million ISK for a picture of a sh… :christ: That’s when I realized I need to check my alt account.

You see, when I made the video I thought ahead. I knew how devious and conniving Eve Online players could be. I could just imaging some jerk in Jita spamming alink to the video on a character in a fake corporation gaffing people out of ISK[3]. Normally I wouldn’t care, but the commercial is on the Voices from the Void YouTube account and I don’t want the podcast associated with scamming[4].

In an effort to project my fellow players (and the imaginary integrity of my news/interview podcast about a video game) I took the liberty of creating the corporation Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ships [SPCS.] under my alt Ms Flinstone. This way I knew no one could scam with the corporation name used in the video. My plan was fool proof or so I thought.

There’s an old proverb that states, “A fool and his money are easily parted.” When I checked the corporation wallet for SPCS. there was approximately 100 Million ISK in the wallet. It’s not a lot by any means or stretch. However, for a scam I was trying to PREVENT FROM HAPPENING I think it’s freaking amazing.

It’s just another example of the fantastic and unexpected things that can happen in Eve Online. What other game could begin to scratch the surface of this kind of interaction and game play? What other game gives its players the tools and the freedom for these kinds of hyjinks; intentional or accidental? This is just another reason why I find so much enjoyment in being a part of Eve Online. With experiences like these, you can hardly refer to it as “playing.”

Also, I’m not giving those people their ISK back. I will send them a picture of a space ship though.

Footnotes
1. – Amok. Commercial & WGoE Commercial
Yes I know the font & ending effect are the same. They were created very far apart and I’m deeply in love with that font and effect.

2. – Fits of an Angel Commerical

3. - This fear was validated when Ackbarre from Goonswarm Federation popped in to the Amok. Mumble channel to complain the corp name was taken. H was pretty bummed when I told him I made the corporation and he couldn't scam from it.

4. – Which is why I very particular about not scamming at all. It’s not about E-Honor, but my podcast means a lot to me.

Bad At Eve: Burn Jita

As I'm writing this, Burn Jita is in full effect and deep into it's third day.  It's been a fantastic experience which has been noted by gaming media [Euro Gamer|PCGamer], global media and all the savvy Eve Online players that take the time to pay attention to the meta game.  I mention that because even with podcast coverage, forum tears and a splash screen courtesy of CCP Games; people are still getting space murdered by the hundreds in a variety of expensive ships.

Seriously.  What the hell people? It's called "Awareness."

Now it's no secret that I enjoy a good gank.  I was a negative -10 and earlier this morning I manage to take my almost -6 back to a -8.8.  None of my kills were fantastically expensive or anything like that.  In fact most of my ganking attempts were pretty botched.  I could go on an on about all the external reasons why my ganks went to badly, but let's face it.  I'm just bad at Eve.

Above is a little video I made.  I've gotten in to the whole FRAPSing thing and I managed to remember to turn it on during one of my ganks.  For this particular fleet the FC was pmchem of Goonswarm.  In praise of pmchem; he was one of the few FCs mindful enough to incorporate tactics to allow pilots with already piss poor sec status to participate.  I'm thankful for that as I had been searching for a fleet since Thursday and was starting to get pretty pissed off about not finding one.

So let's take a look at this video.  Due to sizing I had to cut out the fit, but it was nothing more than a standard thrasher gank fit.  7 artys in the tops, 2 seeboos in the mids and 2 gyro's in the lows.  Pretty standard with faction ammo.  Some prefer fusion and others plasma.  Really it all depends on how close your warp in can get to the target.

The first thing you'll probably notice about the video is the opening warp.  I'm sideways.  It's a glitch, but it's a cool glitch.  It can most likely be chalked up to the local cap of 2200+/- and the 50% TiDi going on, both of which are clear in the video.

Now as I warp in, the intended target is already getting blown to smithereens.  Our fleet was mixed with positive and negative sec status pilots.  When the FC would call for the warp in, those with poor sec status would have to warp to an instant undock and then warp to the target while those with better sec status were able to warp directly.  This caused some of us to "show up late" and ultimately loose out on kills.  Couple that with the delightful "Are you sure? Please click yes/no" box (OMG can't wait for crimewatch safety trigger) and I missed the kill.  Pretty crappy, but dammit I will not be denied!

This is where the panic sets in.  Concord is after me.  Faction police are after me.  Other pilots are after me. If I'm going to kill something, I need to be decisive and kill something quick.  I take my chances, click on a bunch of random things, hot lock my grouped guns and hope for the best.  The best was a shuttle.  I'm not thrilled, but dammit it's something!

End of story; my ship explodes and I get my pod the hell out of dodge.  Not the best gank of Burn Jita, but it's my gank.

Shuttle Kill Mail: http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=13206718
My Loss Mail: http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=13206717

Credits:
Opening Image: Sayyadinda Drain of MRCHI
Music: Lies by Big C TV
Terrible Piloting: Me

In Eve - Out of the Game

Gaming has become something more than just gaming. The word was once a simple verb, but now it has grown up and matured into a noun. Gaming is a thing, a way of life and an entity all its own. Eve Online is a haven that helped this transition come to pass.

I don’t think anyone sane would willing argue against Eve Online having a vibrant Meta-Game culture. In game, there’s a whole world of space ships, pirates, pioneers, carebears, politics, intrigues and all sorts of surprises. Outside the game, that delightful bouquet of in-game experience blossoms and flourishes into verdant fields of frienemies, gentleman’s agreements, news hounding, gossip and circles of camaraderie, knowledge sharing and interconnected experience that spans across counties, languages and any other barrier man could think to erect. Just thinking about it all makes me smile. It also makes me feel very unique and connected in a non-conventional way.

When I speak to friends who delve into other entertaining gaming options like Mass Effect 3, Skyrim (love that game) or World of Warcraft; they look at me a little funny when I tell them about Eve’s meta-game. They don’t understand that someone from an enemy alliance messaged me on skype to ask me if I’m up for a game of League of Legends or to tell me a hilarious story about them FCing a cruiser fleet. They don’t really understand why I pour so much of my energy in and time in a podcast I don’t get paid to produce. They don’t get why “standard comms” has extended to jabber and “optional comms” are now things like G+ and Twitter. They may not get it, but we get it.

I don’t think there are many games that can inspire so many of its players to creativity. The creative community in Eve gives me chills, laughs and at times causes my jaw to drop to the ground. There are movies better than main stream cinema, heart racing pvp videos, exploration documentaries, fan fiction stories, multiple kinds of art work including match stick and Lego models, paintings and digital art and even pumpkin carvings and baked goods. The best part about it all is that I get to participate in this too.

My participation in this type of meta-game is no secret. I have about seven parody songs published and even more written and waiting for me to catch the nerve to actual sing. I’ve been lucky to have a parody commercial highlighted by the powers that be behind the CCP Social Media camp (Hi Manifest!). Then the podcast is the obvious one. However, I’ve dabbled in to something new.

Recently, The Mittani has announced a “GSF Culture Revolution.” Really it’s more like a bad habits house cleaning. This particular revolution focuses on bad habits in fleet comms and over played idioms that have become extinct on the Something Awful forums. Rather than fill my blog with more :words: I’ll let my art do the talking. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Enjoy!
Dani♥

What's propaganda without a little TSU? This also won me 500m ISK.

This was originally an ad for VD.  Photoshop is an amazing thing.

This one was the easiest, but I really like the final result.

Someone in jabber posted the original randomly and the idea came instantly.

I promised this was my last one. GSF directors were complaining I was going to break the alliance wallet.

At this point I'm checking myself in to re-hab.

And I fubared something. Kalaratiri left a comment on my blog.  I tried to accept it by using my phone.  My phone decided that I wanted to delete the comment instead.  Yay... touch screens.  Here's the comment.  

Not sure if Serious™
But I really hope you are :) It's be nice if Goons were actually growing up a little.

Yes, I am.