As previously teased, this is the week of Sounds for Flying: Origins. It will be a collection of four distinct soundtracks, each representing a major race of New Eden. Starting tomorrow, I’ll begin releasing one suite per day throughout the week.
For those that don’t know about Sounds for Flying, it’s a series of music mixes I began creating over a year ago for the purpose of listening to while flying in EVE, always with a theme in mind. But even while working on those, I had long term plans of doing the ultimate mix—one that examines the origins of the four races; that attempts to illustrate the essense of each. It has taken me a year of collecting tracks before finally putting it all together, with more care put into the mixes to make them as fluid, rich, layered, and meaningful as possible.
I consider each one a soundtrack. They should kick off strong, ebb and flow throughout, have moments of contemplation and others of suspense, and finally finish with an “end credits track”. My point of reference was, if I were to make a film about EVE, what would it sound like?
So I’ve had a lot of fun with this, as you can probably tell. Hope you do to. Get the word out and look forward to a new one each day this week! Tomorrow: The Empire Suite.
(And yes, for those that will ask, I’m including artist names this time. Wink.)
And for free. That’s a deal. I’m really looking forward to this, and I’m definitely interested in the prospect of a printed version happening. I’ve always thought there is huge opportunity for a fat guide to EVE, but long accepted Prima wouldn’t have what it takes to tackle that beast any time soon. Leave it to the folks at EON to step up to the plate.
Open it in-game to use the direct links to item info. (thanks to nocipe for the tip.)
Kodachi has a solid list of the currently active EVE podcasts over that the Tribune. Reminds me I desperately need to update my resources page.
Brilliant tree diagram that links out to resources on most mainstream profession choices in the game. Hey look, they even included “station spinning”. I’m good at that.
Sounds for Flying: Origins—an epic four suite ode to the races of New Eden—coming Feb 1st. Watch full screen HD here.
So it goes. I am flying again. It’s been a good, long break, but as they say: you can take the pilot out of the sky, but you can’t take the sky out of the pilot. I’ve missed you, New Eden.
With my personal return comes the rebirth of my favorite capsuleer in the fleshy, fashionable style of the new character creator. I’m just going to say a few quick words on this seemingly polarizing feature: good job CCP. Yes, clothing options are limited. Yes, we can’t actually do anything with them yet. And yes, as they often do, CCP definitely dropped the ball on making the user interface intuitive. But all of this will be alleviated in the future in CCP’s iterative style of doing things.
What they nailed and excelled in is creating the most advanced character personality creator I’ve ever experienced. Plenty of other games give you tons of options for outfits, body styles, haircuts, tattoos, and even more than one type of glasses to choose from. But what they don’t give you is the means to make your avatar truly expressive.
Granted, this mostly satisfies the RPer in me. If you have no interest in creating a character’s persona, you probably are better off clicking “randomize” for everything and jumping straight to the pew.
But I think most players are enjoying this. Simply browsing the forums illustrates just how much variety in personas the character creator lets us achieve. Our avatars (when made well…there are some bad ones) now come with a little soul. I found that when recreating Rettic, I was able to mold his expressions to perfectly reflect who I believe him to be. And as far as I’ve seen, there isn’t another avatar quite like him.
So, this is the return of Rettic to New Eden. Say hello, Rettic.
Yeah, he had a little fun flirting with the photographer lady.
Well, I suppose this was a while coming. I’ve ignored the signs long enough—things that should have clued me in like a persistent desire to reinvent my gameplay strategy to make it more enjoyable, piling on meta-game projects to keep me in the world of New Eden (without actually having to log in), or the most ultimate sin of all: the fact that I’ve gone over two weeks now with no skills training. I know, heresy.
Yeah, it’s looking like I’m not a pilot anymore, and rather than drag this out so I become jaded with an obligation to a game I used to love, I think it’s better I say goodbye while I do still love it.
I’m glad to say this has very little to do with any drama regarding EVE’s development, recent relations between the community and CCP, or any other form of rage quit. This is simply about moving on.
EVE takes energy to play. It’s a game that’s unique in that it is only as rewarding as the work you put into it. If you want to enjoy it a lot, you have to work hard to make it happen. If you want the most fulfilling sandbox experience, you’ve got to build sandcastles. In EVE’s case, I’d say these are really, really big sandcastles.
Being a capsuleer simply takes an energy that I can’t devote anymore. As I’ve got so many projects to try, so many other games to play, and plenty of jobs to do… It’s difficult to justify working at enjoying a game. To those that do have the time, energy, and utter devotion…you have so much of my envy. That’s sincere.
Aside from the excuses about why I need to leave, I can say I truly enjoyed every bit of my experience with this game, and its world. CCP has a masterpiece on their hands, as flawed as it may be…there’s simply no game, or experience otherwise, like it. (For those that lament at EVE’s supposed bastardization by the very people that conceived it, I have a WoW 10-day free trial card with your name on it. It’ll give you some perspective on what the bastardization of a game really looks like.)
With my positive experience at heart, I leave with only a few regrets:
That I didn’t finish every project I wanted to for the community. I gave the Copernicus Coalition a good kickstart, but I wish I could give it the love it’ll inevitably need to really take off. I put out six volumes of Sounds for Flying, but never wrapped it up with the final master-volume I’d been working on for months (maybe that one will creep back into existence someday. We’ll see.) I never quite finished Rettic’s story arch. As infrequent as my in-character postings were, they were by far my favorite pieces to write for the Chronofile.
But my main regret, by far, will be to fade from the community. EVE’s quality of person transcends any game I’ve played. There’s no comparison. There’s so much intelligence, artistry, creativity, and good humor among all you pilots, and I’m so grateful to have had the pleasure to fly along your side. To move on to another MMO, if I ever do, will be with a heavy heart as I’ve experienced what the pinnacle of a gaming community is. I can’t imagine the experience could be replicated anywhere else.
I may hop in from time to time. I may post again in the future, so feel free to keep me in your feeds. But my time of flying in New Eden is more or less at a close.
Don’t get cynical. Fly well.
-Rettic
Head over to his blog to read about what’s coming in the next version of EVE Metrics. There’s a lot to be excited about in his list of changes, which just so happens to start with this little line-item:
• Complete redesign of the site thanks to Rettic
Undoubtedly one of my most favorite projects I’ve worked on this year is finally about to be let out of the bag. I’m looking forward to being able to show you all, as I know James is too. Keep an eye out!
Read all chapters here.
Rettic entered a small office, its downward facing windows granting a hazed view of the raucous bar. A Seibestor man sat at a desk, leaning back in a leather chair. Quite a costly item, being skinned of land-born game, noted Rettic, but by far the only article of worth in the room. This man’s attempt to project an air of status deceived him.
The escorting guards gathered behind the desk on either side of the Seibestor.
“You’re breaking a lot of rules here, Ekko,” Rettic said as he sat in the chair across from the man. “Can I still call you Ekko? Or, while we’re dismissing anonymity, do you want to tell me your real name too?”
The man immediately pulled out a handgun and pointed it directly at Rettic’s head.
“Woah, watch it!” Rettic slid back in his chair, the legs screeching on the metal floor. The bodyguards shifted their weight as if preparing to pounce on cue. “I ain’t breaking the rules here. And I’m the one gladly paying here so there’s no need to rob me. I just need my answers…”
“You fucking with me, sonny?” said Ekko in a raspy, thick accent.
Rettic stared back in a thorough state of confusion. “Ah, no. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you’re the one fucking with me.”
“Shut… your mouth.” Ekko sat forward and spoke quietly. “Listen to me, boyo, I run a serious business here. It comes with risks, and when it comes to searching for things, namely people, we like to complete the job. Completing jobs ties up loose ends,” Ekko mockingly gestured with his fingers. “Incomplete jobs leave dust…debris…that could lead back to us. You get me?”
Rettic stayed motionless, returning the stare with equal intensity.
“So you pay me to find someone, but with some serious lookin’, all we come to find is that there ain’t no one to find. Rules was broken when you gave us a shit job. So, again, I’ma ask you. Are you fucking with me?”
Rettic’s head began to stir. Anger was boiling over in him. The feelings of the sickness climbed up his spine—the engines of disorientation fueled by rage. He closed his eyes and spoke clearly, “So you didn’t…finish…the job.”
“What I’m saying, boyo, was that there wan’t…no…job…to finish,” Ekko coughed.
Rettic jumped forward and grabbed the man’s gun, nearly breaking his wrists as he turned and shoved it under his chin before the guards had a moment to react. Ekko breathed through his teeth and he smelled the ion smoke seeping from the gun barrel. He calmly motioned his hands for the guards to stand down.
Rettic continued to speak slowly, with deliberation. “I pay you millions upon millions of kredits to simply locate my sister in any reach of known-space, and you point a gun at my head because you couldn’t finish the fucking job.” He cocked the gun. “Where is my sister?”
Ekko began to smile as realization came over him. “So, you really weren’t fucking with me huh?” He raised his eyebrows toward the two guards before returning his gaze. “You really don’t know, do you? The fuck is wrong with you?”
Rettic looked back and forth to the other men, who began to laugh under their breath. His stomach began to churn. Why is the sickness returning? It hasn’t been long enough. This clone isn’t a day old.
“…You don’t look to good neither, sonny. I’m thinkin’ it’s been a while since you got your stabilization meds? Your clone ain’t treating you too right is it?” He continued to laugh as Rettic’s loosening grip eased the gun from his neck.
“What don’t I know?” Rettic said, feigning disbelief. He already knew. He knew all along. In some depth of his consciousness, he knew all along. This was the root of his crashing mind-state. This was his sickness—the descent of time as the universe bends around him.
“Your sister…” The Locator stared at Rettic with a slight air of sympathy, as one would look at a lost child. “…she’s been dead for over fourty years, brother.”
Black.
Rettic’s Log are the accounts of Rettic in-character, his history, and the story of my experiences in New Eden as seen through his eyes. Read all of them here.
