I don't fly shiny

I have my reasons...

The psychological barrier.

For a long period of time, shiny ships and mods were totally out of my reach. The ISK was tight. Skill points were tight. Eve knowledge was tight. Yes, shiny stuff (faction, DED, pirate or officer) can bring a plus to your flying experience from early ages since they have the same requirements as a T1 module (with slightly better bonuses and stats; many better than T2 modules). But they come with a price. A price I wasn't able to pay. Things changed now. The ISK, skill points and eve knowledge aren't shiny stuff blockers anymore. But the psychological barrier still exists. Even for that dirt cheap Shadow Serpentis Kinetic Plating (selling at 49k in Dodixie). Plus the fact that I don't like showing them on the loosing part of the kill mail. If I ever get shiny stuff... It's for my private collection!

The bait.

Yes. 90% of shiny ships are baits. Or they have heavy reinforcements. Thus I, as a solo/small gang casual PVP-er, will avoid. Because I don't want to get blobbed. I would rather engage 2 Drakes in Old Man Star than a single Harbinger Navy Issue. Or a T3. I wan't people to be interested in my ship. I want them to try to engage me and get a fair fight instead of either repelling the exact typology of pilot I am looking to fight, either attract the exact typology of the pilots I am looking to avoid.

The Pinata Factor.

If I find a faction spawn in a belt, the faction ship will be my primary. If I pass an ongoing fight, the shiny ship will be my primary. For the same reason. The drop (+ the shiny kill mail). So, why not use this in your favor? I want the occasional soldier of fortune fighting by my side, not against me. Yes, that can also escalate on the other side. But most of the times they will go for the shiny ship.

So, yes. I don't fly shiny.

90% of the time. Because it feels damn good flying shiny and winning. You feel like you cheated death. Again. And again. Next time you see a 'fs' ending a conversation, think about it. Maybe it's not a shorthand for "Fly Safe"

FS 'till next time!

Brave Newbies Inc. - Testing ground

Many years ago, while playing NannyMUD, I did a personality test (I cannot remember which one, but something like this one) and it turned out that I was a combination of achiever and killer. Thus I like gathering points and inflict damage. Translating this to EVE? I love having tons of killboard points!

In order to do that you need to come up with brand new ideas and way of using the items EVE offers. Doesn't matter if it is a new fit or a tweak of an existent one, you still have to test it. 

There are a couple of ways of doing this. Some prefer doing it on Sisi. Others ask a friend for a duel. I just head to the nearest lowsec and start roaming. The problem is that I usually run into ganks that know what they are doing. So, not much testing on my side - beside the automatic pod eject on hull implosion mechanism of my ship.

A couple of days ago, I went to pay a visit to the Concord office from Barleguet. 200++ in local. I took my RLML Caracal for a spin. After a few encounters with BNI, I realized I found the Holy Grail of EVE testing. Its like doing a level 4 mission but instead of mission rats, you have BNI pilots. 

They either try to gank you (in numers larger than 20) and you can test the speed of the ship, the falloff, etc. Just align to a celestial/ss and let them come to you. Pop a few, warp off, tweak the fit and come back (by the way the market in Barleguet is fairly decent - you can find almost anything to refit your ship). You can also find the occasional solo ship (or this one) in the belt and you can test other features of your ship like agility, tracking, tank, etc.

Of course you wont be the only big fish in the pond. But that's life :)

Thus, fit your ship and head to Placid. You will have tons of fun while testing!

Later edit: Check the weapon of choice of the top damage dealer in this gank. Thanks Detanian!

How does one fly its ship in New Eden

I've been playing computers games since I was 8. Then for the first time I've encountered a ZX Spectrum computer. Tape recorders instead of USB Sticks and ROM instead of RAM. Many years have been passed since I've played my first multiplayer games (Warcraft, Doom, flight simulators). After a few more years, first online multiplayer game. A MUD. All those experiences defined and refined me as an EVE Pilot.

My goals and play style was slowly build and sculptured by games like Pac-Man - for example - where you were constantly chased by a gang a ghosts, blobbing you, trying to pop you, grief you! You had to outmaneuver them, playing the pray while luring them in a corner, where... BAM! You consume the yellow pill and pod them all.

Or Dynablaster-Bomberman where you needed to be 2-3 steps ahead of your adversary, setting up traps, calculating its route, setting the bomb so it can explode exactly when it passed the blast area.

Or pk (player killing - equivalent of pvp) in various MUDs. You learn to control your emotions, using the adrenaline rush in your favor, gathering and using the right pieces of equipment. Setting up the perfect trap. Using their strengths and weakness in you favor. Beating them at their game when they feel invincible.

So, yes. I like to fight outnumbered, against the odds, picking on the biggest predator on the field. Maybe I've seen to many Bruce Lee movies. Or maybe that's the way I am hardwired.

That's how I like to pilot my ship in EVE. Not only once I was the poor helpless Osprey lost in a belt, where a couple of ruthless pirates went for my throat. I dive head deep into enemies. Is it one? They are 20? Doesn't matter. As long as I feel it like a challenge... I don't care about WCS plexers or blobbers. I might get a bit irritatied about the obnoxious ECM ship that ruins your day. But there is hope.

Looking back, I realized that this is the way I have been playing EVE since day one. That day I jumped in low sec. And I stood there ever since - using high sec as a no-man land. I was merely 2 months old when I got this kill: http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/killmail.php?id=7226138. And I never stopped looking for those fights ever since.

I like to play with people that enjoy the same thrill. I think I've found them. I've been flying with them in the last month and I loved every second. Even now after 5 years, 100mil SP and 2000++ killmails, flying with the right people gives you the right thrills.

So, that's me. But, how about you?