Rettic's Log: The Chronofile

Millenium Falcon Print

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:00:50 +0000

Gorgeous Giclée print of the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. I really, really want this.

Clint Mansell to Score Mass Effect 3

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:15:00 +0000

Not EVE, but too excellent not to post. I used a good bit of Mansell’s work in the SFF series. This is going to be a hell of a match up. I just hope he retains the nostalgic throwbacks to 80’s scifi scores that worked so well for the previous ME games.

Aarnio Mix

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:46:11 +0000

Aarnio Mix:

Because I always love finding good music for my ambient flying needs, here’s a great mix for free download at a personal favorite site of mine, ISO50. Very chill. If you dug the Exploration Suite, you’ll dig this.

Love Movie Trailer

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:44:04 +0000

Love Movie Trailer:

Recipe for guaranteed amazing movie trailer: Take a big bowl of Kubrick, sprinkle in a little Moon, add a dash of Solaris and a whole truckload of slow motion. Season with synth to taste.

Keys to Remapping

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:00:07 +0000

One of my first and lasting complaints about EVE was the obvious lack of keyboard remapping support. Sure, you could modify commands here and there, but it wasn’t until the Incursion expansions were we given free reign to map our commands completely as we wish.

In order to take advantage of this, I decided to invested in a Razer Naga mouse: their apparent solution to MMO gaming. The claim to fame? The mouse has 17 buttons on it. Yes. 17. And 12 of these are accessed by your thumb alone. Sounds like overkill, but with a game as complex as EVE (have you thought about how many separate commands it takes to simply navigate your ship?) I thought it might be just the thing.

So with some effort and experimentation today, I feel like I’ve finally landed on my ideal keyboard/mouse setup with EVE. Breakdown below.

Mouse:

It has always bothered me that I couldn’t pilot my ship with one hand. Maybe I’m on the phone, maybe I’m eating chips, maybe you should get your head out of the gutter because I know what you’re thinking. Point is, on a long run between systems, it’s pretty annoying to have to reach for the keyboard to execute a simple warp or jump command if you don’t want to do the cumbersome multi-click method on the overview.

So my strategy is this: Any command that involves moving and maneuvering my ship will be mapped to the mouse:

Beautiful right? Want to warp to that next gate? Hold [2] and left click in overview. Land at gate, press [1] and click to jump. Guess what? Still eating chips, like a boss.

Note: I’m not entirely sure Prev and Next Target belong on the mouse, so this may be modified if I find a more intuitive place on the keyboard.

Keyboard:

So if my mouse is essentially the ship’s steering wheel, throttle, and brakes, then my keyboard will be my artillery. Freeing it of any navigation-related commands has let me dedicate the keyboard solely to modules and drones:

Simplicity is key: [1-8] keys are high modules, [Q-I] are my mids, and [A-K] are my lows. [Z-C] commands drones. [Ctrl] still targets. Essentially the module layout is an intuitive reflection of my HUD, without having to hit the finger-cramping shift-alt-control-etc combinations of old. Those will be reserved for opening windows.

Keys to Solid Remapping

If you’re thinking about taking a shot a remapping your EVE experience, here’s just a few things to consider:

The more buttons, the merrier. Invest in a mouse or other peripheral that will give you the means to map a variety of commands.
Separate types of functions. Use one device or area for navigation and another for modules. Overlapping keys with too many modifiers can become a mess quickly.
Stay intuitive. Put some logic behind the layout, whether it reflects what’s on screen, or sticks to some other methodology you can remember without thinking about it. Just keep it simple.

This is a game changer for me, or at least a game streamliner. After a few days of practice, I have confidence I’ll be faster to react in a tight spot than I’ve ever been in EVE, because I won’t hesitate to think “is that a [shift-ctrl-1] or an [alt-ctrl 1]?”

Anybody else taken heavy advantage of the ability to remap? Do you have any other keyboard tips or tricks up your sleeve? I’d love to hear it.

Origins Week Ends

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 02:17:35 +0000

I just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words and good buzz around the Sounds for Flying: Origins soundtracks. I was looking forward to a fun week as I finished the mixes last month, but I didn’t quite expect this kind of reception. The Chronofile saw a huge jump in hits this week, most of which came from CCP’s kind shout-out on the EVE Online Facebook page.

When I started gathering music for Origins I was reminded of a post I wrote in my first few months of playing EVE that talked about New Eden as I envisioned it—how each race might equate to cultures in other sci-fi worlds. These excerpts pretty well sum up my choices for the soundtracks:

The Gallente Federation is closest to Blade Runner. It’s foggy streets give refuge to derelict smatterings of capitalism run dry by free-wheeling liberalism. A world where each turn might bring you to a Jin-Mei fish sales cart ornate in gaudy neon lights, or by the foggy pink-lit windows of an Intaki-run whore house. It’s wealthy live in skyscrapers above the clouds, never seen by the common citizen, and their slums leave no ground surface of their planets untouched, eternally darkened by a canopy of smog.

You’ve undoubtedly heard the Vangelis influence in the Gallente suite (with some actual sound samples from the film itself in parts). The theme here was definitely future-noir. Dark, sexy, exotic, and lush.

The Amarr are closest to the Egyptians of Stargate, quick to power-feed on the enslaved to fulfill some greater, but blind, spiritual existence. They’re also thick with political corruption, backstabbing in the name of divinity, with hints of classicism more like the Houses of Dune. The sheer beauty of their golden architecture and massive monuments are meant to inspire religious empowerment, but more likely serve as a facade to hide the more horrific shades of red flowing behind stone walls.

I’ve been sitting on some incredible vocal excerpts from a Philip Glass opera about an Egyptian pharaoh that read perfectly into the Amarr sound. It was important to keep a heavy vocal theme throughout, but I didn’t want this to be church/monk music. It needed the twisted, dissonant undertones that spoke to their warped religious views.

The Caldari are somewhere between the stately order of Star Trek (probably more the NG era), and the lock-and-load militarism of Aliens’ marines. In terms of visuals, it feels like the cold, utilitarian, exposed-materials architecture of the ships in Aliens to perfection. Hard edges that say “it ain’t supposed to be pretty, but it gets the job done”. But I imagine their extreme capitalistic home-worlds are more like the clean vision of San Francisco in Star Trek. Everything is in order. Everything ready when you need it. But what none of those perfectly content citizens know are to what extremes their labor force in space are working to keep things that way.

Caldari was easily the toughest to pinpoint. Military music? Lots of drums? But then I thought maybe this one is the most meditative. War, industry, strategy are their arts. They’re subtle and forceful at the same time. Cold, precise electronica was the route.

And finally the Minmatar. This is junky-clunky space faring at it’s finest. Though not space-bound sci-fi necessarily, I think the raw, rusted look of their architecture, and the desperate-but-still-fighting story lends itself to a more post-apocalyptic reality, a la Mad Max. I mean, as far as they’re concerned, the Minmatar faced the apocalypse when they were enslaved by the Amarr. I would imagine, due to this, their planets would be poorly terraformed, leaving dusty deserts spanning all surfaces. Their gang infighting born from simply competing to survive with as little as possible. Their ships built from scraps and their weapons from natures most plentiful resources: fire and powder.

Guitar. Lots of guitar. I wanted this one to be the most rock/folk, but keep a futuristic/industrial edge to it. It had to be raw and real. Also, pay attention to the lyrics in the closing track (by Vex’d). You’d swear he was rapping about the Amarr invasion.

Now that all of the suites have been released, I’d love to hear opinions. Does each one feel as varied as the races? Which one resonates most with you? Did you gravitate toward the sounds of your character’s race?

SFF: Origins: The Federation Suite

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:57:59 +0000

AD 23121: The founding of the Gallente Federation.

For some, the founding of the Gallente Federation was a liberating testament to the free will of man. For others, though, it simply marked a naive ideology that masked the dark realities of life in a cultural boiling pot. The voices of the Federation come from all corners of the galaxy and mix to form a dense fog of underground dealings, beaurocratic corruption, seedy slums, and the most elaborate pleasures. But embedded amidst all the harsh reality is the pulse of real life—its muffled heartbeat escaping the night clubs in the veiny alleys of the city.

This is a new installment in a series of music compilations at The Chronofile called Sounds for Flying. You can find all of the volumes here.

Download Sounds for Flying: Origins: The Federation Suite.

SFF: Origins: The State Suite

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:04:00 +0000

AD 22684: Isuuaya, the first Caldari corporation, is established.

The first recorded civilization of New Eden was once a primal, war-driven people. But with the founding of their first coporation, the Caldari found a new purpose for their combative heritage, and exchanged the blade for the ultimate weapon—capitalism. During this period, the universe was introduced to the megacorporation, and was shown the power of economies wielded with militaristic precision. The sounds of the State are the cold heartbeat of industry, the zen of strategy, and a calculated mastery of the art of war.

This is a new installment in a series of music compilations at The Chronofile called Sounds for Flying. You can find all of the volumes here.

Download Sounds for Flying: Origins: The State Suite.

SFF: Origins: The Republic Suite

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 13:16:00 +0000

AD 22480: The Minmatar home planet of Matar is invaded.

The day the sun was blotted out of the sky by the first Amarr ships was, for some inhabitants of Matar, the last they would ever see it. Thus began the darkest days for the Minmatar people—days that would last for hundreds of years to come. Since this time, the Minmatar have become a fractured race, where survival is often every man for themselves. The sounds of the Minmatar are equally fractured—whether the industrial oppression of the enslaved, the tribal drums of vengeance, or the nomadic strum of the wondering warrior.

This is a new installment in a series of music compilations at The Chronofile called Sounds for Flying. You can find all of the volumes here.

Download Sounds for Flying: Origins: The Republic Suite.

SFF: Origins: The Empire Suite

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:52:00 +0000

AD16470: The First Amarr Emperor is crowned.

A time marking the birth of a race unwavering in their faith, resolute in their purpose, and driven to succeed by all means necessary. The ancient empire of Amarr, once established, expanded their reach like the hands of a god—bringing both the beauty of their grand theology and the terror of its judgement to the neighboring, lesser races. Twisted and glorious, the sounds of the first known Empire of New Eden arrive with a singular purpose as well—to inspire awe for the great and terrible.

This is a new installment in a series of music compilations at The Chronofile called Sounds for Flying. You can find all of the volumes here.

Download Sounds for Flying: Origins: The Empire Suite.

SFF Week Begins

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:27:00 +0000

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.)

ISK (Industrial Sized Knowledge-base) Guide to EVE 3.0 Coming Tuesday

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:31:06 +0000

ISK (Industrial Sized Knowledge-base) Guide to EVE 3.0 Coming Tuesday:

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.

Fazenda PI Commodities Chart

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:47:15 +0000

Fazenda PI Commodities Chart:

Open it in-game to use the direct links to item info. (thanks to nocipe for the tip.)

Active EVE Podcasts

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:43:57 +0000

Active EVE Podcasts:

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.

What to do in EVE Online

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:30:00 +0000

What to do in EVE Online:

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...

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:32:17 +0000

Sounds for Flying: Origins—an epic four suite ode to the races of New Eden—coming Feb 1st. Watch full screen HD here.

The Return of Rettic

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:46:00 +0000

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.

You Can't Take the Sky From Me

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:59:00 +0100

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

James Harrison talks EVE Metrics 3

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:30:00 +0100

James Harrison talks EVE Metrics 3:

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!

Rettic's Log: The Sickness, Part 4

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:39:00 +0100

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.