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Contest: Win 1 of 5 BlizzCon Cards For Future Beta Access

Miss out on BlizzCon last year? At the event, everyone received a Murloc card, which gives them a special treat in World of Warcraft and access to a future Blizzard game's beta. Today, we have five of them to give away. Enter to win this prize before February 13th.

Click below to enter.

Source: www.warcry.com

Interestingly, the Scorpion has gone from being the most popular tier one battleship in 2003 through mid 2005, to being the least popular from 2007 to now. This can largely be attributed to balancing changes to ECM in April 2005 and the introduction of other, preferred ECM platforms such as the Caldari Recon ships in December 2005.

The popularity of each of the ships has remained stable since early 2007, with the Dominix being by far the most popular tier one battleship. The Dominix accounted for 48.26% of all tier one battleships market transactions in the April 2007 to March 2009 period. It can be speculated that the Dominix is the most popular tier one battleship due to its versatility, with it being effective in both PVE and PVP environments due to it's main weapon being drones, leaving the high slots available for whatever utilities people may want - energy neutralizers, remote repair modules and so on.

Tier two battleships have remained fairly stable since early 2006, with the Raven being by far the most popular battleship. The last year has seen significant growth in the popularity of the Apocalypse after it was boosted in the Trinity 1.1 patch, and there has been a slow decline in the popularity of the Raven since late 2007.

Missiles were reworked considerably in the Cold War expansion of July 2005, from a system where all missiles did full damage to their targets to the current system that takes the signature radius and velocity into account. This explains the dip in the popularity of the Raven at that time. Interestingly, the actual number Raven trades through the market has stabilised over the past year, whilst other battleships have continued to grow as expected in terms of numbers traded. During 2008, Ravens were traded through the market an average of 16,542 times per month. The least popular tier two battleship in terms of market trades was the Tempest, with a monthly average of only 2,362.

As can been seen from the combined statistics for the tier one and two battleships, shown grouped by race, Minmatar tier one and two battleships have been the least popular in terms of market transactions in the October 2003 to March 2009 period, with the exception of October 2007. In October 2007, Amarr tier one and two battleships had less market transaction than Minmatar ones.

Regarding Minmatar, there doesn't seem to be any real consensus on why their battleships are the least popular. If you have any theories on why this is, feel free to discuss this in the comments thread.

Starbases were added to EVE with the Exodus expansion in November 2004. At first, only large control towers were available, with small and medium control towers being added in the first half of 2005. Upon first being released, the size of a control tower did not affect sovereignty - so ten small control towers would beat the claim of nine large control towers and so on. This led to small control towers being the most popular type, until these mechanics were revised. Medium control towers have been the least popular since their introduction except for only one month, making it seem that there is less demand for a middle ground, with the wish being for either as large a starbase as possible or as small a starbase as possible.

In March 2009, 2,821 large control towers were traded through the market. The 2008 average was 1,616. February 2009 had the highest number of large control towers traded so far, with 3,027 being traded in that month.

Taking a look at the racial comparisons for starbase towers, it can be seen that Caldari starbases have been the most popular most of the time. Minmatar starbases had a period of increased popularity from early 2006 to early 2007, which can be at least partially attributed to the primary choice of starbase type for alliances engaged in territorial warfare in that period.

The various types of isotope are used as fuel for both starbases and jump drive capable ships and were introduced in November 2004 in the Exodus expansion. Interestingly, the isotope market does not follow the starbase market quite as closely as would perhaps be expected. This suggests that jump drive capable ships also have a significant impact.

In 2007, an average of 3,285,019,553 isotopes were traded on the market each month. In 2008 this number increased drastically to an average of 5,990,842,951 isotopes traded per month. The average for the January-March period of 2009 was 9,710,071,318 units.

This graph has been cut down to show only from January 2006, as these ships were introduced during December 2005. Force Recon ships are very specialised and each have their own roles (such as ECM, warp disrupting or webifying). The comparative popularity of these ships for the first two years after their release was been surprisingly similar, likely due to each race having its own unique role. Since early 2008 though, we have seen two interesting events - the rise and fall of the Rapier, which lost a lot of popularity after a rebalancing of speed and stasis webifiers, and the rise of the Falcon to become the most popular by a very large margin. This can be attributed to its role as an ECM ship becoming increasingly popular in a variety of situations.

In this graph, the most used tech two large turrets of each weapon type are shown. With the introduction of the Rokh in Revelations II (November 28^th, 2006), the market share of the 425mm Railgun increased drastically as this provided the Caldari with a battleship railgun platform. In line with the trends for Amarr battleships, the Tachyon Beam Laser has increased in popularity in recent months. This can be largely attributed to the changes to the Apocalypse in the Trinity 1.1 patch, which was released on March 12^th, 2008.

500,545 tech two large turrets were traded on the market in 2008, an increase from 314,085 in 2007. This means that the monthly average increased from 26,174 to 41,712. In January through March 2009, the average was 68,680.

Tech two missile launchers were introduced in July 2005 as part of the Cold War expansion. In the Trinity expansion of December 2007 there were significant balancing changes to torpedoes to turn them into short range weapons, which led to a very significant reduction in their popularity when compared to cruise missiles.

The average number of tech two large missile launchers traded on the market per month in 2007 was 32,948. In 2008 it was 56,843 and in Jan-March 2009 it was 67,921.

So, that's it for now. We will be taking a look into some of the other requests there have been and will see what we can do regarding more graphs for you all, but no promises! As always, please give any suggestions for things you'd like to see on this front in the comments thread on the forums.

-CCP Diagoras

Source: www.eveonline.com

EVE: The Burning Life - Earthtimes
REYKJAVIK, Iceland - (Business Wire) CCP is pleased to announce a grand space opera set in the universe of EVE Online, the largest and most successful science fiction Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) today with over 300,000 subscribers
Source: www.earthtimes.org

Virtual bank president embezzles virtual money in online game - Nationalpost.com
Facing real world debts, a trusted figure in a popular online game stole money from the virtual bank he ran and exchanged it for cash through the black market, Reuters reports . It happened in EVE Online, where more than 300,000 subscribers pay US$15
Source: network.nationalpost.com

EVE Online: Apocrypha - IDG NEWS
First introduced to Mac gamers in the fall of 2007, EVE Online is a massive multiplayer online (MMO) game created by Icelandic developer CCP Games. Famous for being inhospitable to new players, EVE Online evolved in 2009 with the release of Apocrypha
Source: news.idg.no

EVE Online: Apocrypha - IDG NEWS
First introduced to Mac gamers in the fall of 2007, EVE Online is a massive multiplayer online (MMO) game created by Icelandic developer CCP Games. Famous for being inhospitable to new players, EVE Online evolved in 2009 with the release of Apocrypha
Source: news.idg.no

Sponsored Feature: BattleClinic's Chris Condon On Using Iovation To - Gamasutra
I'm Chris Condon, and I founded BattleClinic in 2001. My background includes 18 years in corporate organizational development, especially around building learning games. It comes in handy when designing new player guides, tutorials, and tools that
Source: www.gamasutra.com

Sponsored Feature: BattleClinic's Chris Condon On Using Iovation To - Gamasutra
I'm Chris Condon, and I founded BattleClinic in 2001. My background includes 18 years in corporate organizational development, especially around building learning games. It comes in handy when designing new player guides, tutorials, and tools that
Source: www.gamasutra.com

In-Depth: Inside The Making Of Tomb Raider: Underworld - Gamasutra
The latest issue of Gamasutra sister publication Game Developer magazine includes a postmortem of Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider: Underworld , written by creative director Eric Lindstrom. The following excerpts from Game Developer magazine's recent
Source: www.gamasutra.com

Graphics Card assist - Toms Hardware
Kinda thinking about getting Eve Online and/or some other pc games in awhile and wanted to know what would be the best upgrade for me. I haven't gamed on a pc n a long time so don't want to invest too much. But then again I might get addicted again
Source: www.tomshardware.com

Querious has been the scene of heavy fighting since GoonSwarm launched their invasion of the region hot on the heels of their agent disbanding the official alliance registration of Band of Brothers. BoB (as they were known) reformed as KenZoku and managed to recapture some of their former space, but recently GoonSwarm and their allies have driven them back again. Presently, KenZoku hold sovereignty in five systems, with 49-U6U housing their only outpost.

Yesterday, a heavy fleet from GoonSwarm and their allies finished putting the last of the sovereignty-claiming control towers in 49-U6U into reinforced mode and managed to destroy 4 towers and set up their own. Shadoo, a Pandemic Legion fleet commander, talked a little about their methodology:

"Without control towers it is difficult to maintain control during an assault in a [Province-sovereignty] cyno-jammed system such as 49-U6U for a long period of time. The staging towers also allowed us to bring in titans to reinforce our grip on the system."

With a firm grip on the system and no KenZoku forces currently offering opposition, the allies deployed a force composed solely of titans around the bubbled outpost. "The camp was a show of force, a show of strength if you will" Viper ShizzIe of Pandemic Legion explained. "Sitting 27 titans in a hostile [sovereignty 3] system 100km off of a station has no strategic value other than simply [saying] 'we can do this and you can't stop it.'"

Prior to this current conflict, more than a few titans deployed in a single battle was a rarity. With coalitions forming between long-standing and wealthy alliances, however, it has become possible to deploy gangs of the multi-billion isk vessels. To emphasise the potential power of such a fleet, Viper ShizzIe sacrificed a Thanatos-class carrier in a demonstration.

The titan fleet activated their doomsday devices in waves: Avatars followed by Erebuses, Leviathans then Ragnaroks. The Thanatos took over 400,000 damage before it exploded, and only 16 of the 27 doomsdays managed to register on it before it succumbed. It seems there is a playful rivalry in Pandemic Legion as Shadoo quipped about the destruction of Viper ShizzIe's Thanatos: "This is a personal achievement I will cherish."

The titans themselves were unharmed, despite inflicting over a million damage to each other. Shadoo credited this at least in part to the careful structuring of the gang - placing experienced commanders equipped with appropriate warfare links at every level in the fleet - but nonetheless, it made a powerful statement about the ability of such a gang to defend and destroy in the right circumstances.

The Interstellar Correspondents will continue to follow developments in what some are speculating may be the last days of the Delve-Querious conflict, with further commentary from both sides in forthcoming updates.

Are you affected by the events in this article? Do you have information regarding another event in New Eden? If so, please contact us with any information that you may have.

Want to become a news correspondent with IC? We are recruiting.

Source: www.eveonline.com

Failed Coup Within Red Alliance Leads To Loss of Home System

Insmother, C-J6MT- Red Alliance's [RA] home system has fallen into Atlas hands as internal strife comes to a head.

The capture came after a failed coup inside [RA]'s leadership caused a sovereignty loss in several capital constellations around Insmother. Aware of their opponent's difficulties, Atlas and allied forces exploited the confusion by launching a suprise attack deep inside Red Alliance's core systems.

During the last several days, Red Alliance has lost at least five outposts in Insmother and two in Etherium Reach with more to follow. Cattie'Brie of [RA], paints a bleak picture: "[It] is very difficult. We are surrounded and outnumbered and outgunned".

Red Alliance blames a coup attempt by ERROR [404] leadership for the difficulties they now face. According to Bapp R.U.S.H., CEO roles were stolen by ERROR and OMNYX members in a bid to achieve Red Alliance's executorship. However failing the revolt, renegade leaders were ultimately able to expel a key corporation from Red Alliance, resulting in half of its systems in Insmother losing the 'level 3' sovereignty status and the subsequent disruption of jump bridge operations.

Presently, Red Alliance's former capitol station is controlled by Atlas and several Red Alliance ships may have been trapped within.

GoonSwarm fleet members allegedly sent to help [RA]'s evacuation operations have been intercepted by Cult Of War [COW] capsuleers and subsequently obliterated using a doomsday device. Dah'Kanid describes the engagement: "Unaware of the Titan threat from [COW], Goons jumped into the system [that had been] set up for [the ambush] and every single one [was killed]".

Cult Of War Capsuleers have been helping Atlas and Allied forces by applying pressure on Red Alliance's western Flank. Endag Tanon, of [COW] explains that they have been engaging Red Alliance's fleet mostly in Scalding Pass. NeoNeTiC better clarifies his alliance's standings: "Cult of War is what the name says - an alliance that wages war just because it appeals to its nature… We are here to lay waste to anything that moves and the current war … [is] a nice moment to increase the scale of battle".

Despite Atlas and allies gaining the upper edge in Insmother, the war is far from over. NeoNeTiC offers his view on a possible future scenario: "Politics are backstab-sensitive right now. This big anti-[RA] rush is unlikely to stand forever… people will begin to fight over the territory - amonst themselves if needed". He also believes Goonswarm are not going to offer full scale help to Red Alliance as they currently have to recover from their efforts in Delve.

Cattie'Brie of [RA] believes his alliance could keep fighting, with Goonswarm or Northern Coalition help. However, he also admits: "If there is no help we will fight until last [starbase]… then regroup somewhere in a safer [area]."

Are you affected by the events in this article? Do you have information regarding another event in New Eden? If so, please contact us with any information that you may have.

Want to become a news correspondent with IC? We are recruiting.

Source: www.eveonline.com

Internal Strife Divides Imperial Republic of the North

PURE BLIND - Over half of Imperial Republic of the North's [IRON] membership has abandoned the alliance over the past week. Additionally, [IRON] sovereignty in Pure Blind continues to fall leaving large numbers of lucrative moons open for the taking as a power vacuum develops in the region.

While rumors have swirled for the past week on capsuleer discussion boards, [IRON] and fellow NC members continued to state that the leadership was simply trimming the fat. It was not until early this morning that new facts began to emerge indicating [IRON] was in the midst of an internal crisis.

The problems arose several weeks ago after alliance leaders FotoFlame and PMX decided to take a break from the demanding business of alliance leadership and appointed Tyrol, Riley Kendrik, and NathanMoore as the new executive team.

Initially all was well according to PMX, but as time progressed the new team attempted to make several major changes "unpopular with the old iron pilots," according to Aoi Hane, CEO of former [IRON] corp Arkons of Myth [RCON].

These changes included the addition of a NBSI policy in low-sec - a course reversal that challenged [IRON]'s historical NRDS low-sec policy that PMX believes was at the "core of our identity and our believes."

Despite apparent requests by PMX to reconsider, the new executives forged ahead "after which discussion broke loose to a point where multiple corps wanted to leave," PMX stated.

FotoFlame then posted a letter "urging the new team to reconsider and revert their decision," noted PMX. "However he never set an ultimatum and would have never done so."

MeltD0wn [MELT.] CEO Larania Hypax described the letter as "a open phrased 'serious suggestion' to stop what they were doing and that Foto would sit back while they led IRON to destruction." Hypax also stated that Tyrol lost access to his directorship abilities and his corp's forum at this time.

A second issue concerning inactive founding corps also presented a problem according to both parties. "The new leadership wanted to remove certain founding corps due to poor participation and due to lack of numbers," explained industrial team member and former high command pilot Mirauder. "PMX and Foto asked for the decision to be delayed 24 hours to allow it to be discussed in more depth."

At this point, in an alleged attempt to gain leverage over FotoFlame and PMX, the new executive team took large amounts of liquid ISK, starbase components, and dreadnoughts according to a statement released by [MELT.] - a corp that joined [IRON] in January of this year. The [MELT.]statement and PMX confirm that he nor FotoFlame took any action to escalate the situation at this point.

Despite extensive inquiries to departing CEO's and members, none indicated or were able to produce evidence that PMX or Fotoflame delivered threats or ultimatums - something that several pilots claimed was the basis for the "safeguarding" of alliance assets by the new leadership.

Justifying their next action by indicating that the corps choosing to stay in [IRON] "showed a statistically significant overlap with the corporations that were asked to leave or merge just two weeks prior because of their bad defense fleet participation", the [MELT.] statement claimed the "safeguarded" assets would be distributed to the exiting corps (eight have left since May 31st) and that [IRON] would be left with a "a very very solid base for restructuring [the full list is available for viewing in the 'sources' section.]"

In the end, Tyrol and Riley Kendrik returned the ISK and starbase components to [IRON] however [MELT.] has chosen to retain the 35 dreadnoughts according to their statement. According to PMX, all exiting corps have so far refused to accept any of these ships from [MELT.].

Other corps have ended their term with [IRON] on more amicable terms. Aoi Hane (whose corp is now courting ATLAS Alliance) believes, "None of the corps that left wished any harm to [IRON], nor did they plan to leave together or go to the same alliances afterwards."

PMX had this to say in regards to the last week:

"What breaks my heart is the fact that they simply gave up… I know in my time as executor I have made similar decisions that earned me more than enough flames by the members and corps, but these are decisions a leader grows with. We all make mistakes but it is crucial we learn from them and do not repeat the same mistakes."

He noted he will be returning to his post as executor to ensure [IRON] does not "lose its path."

Sources

[MELT.] Statement

Are you affected by the events in this article? Do you have information regarding another event in New Eden? If so, please contact us with any information that you may have.

Want to become a news correspondent with IC? We are recruiting.

Source: www.eveonline.com

Sponsored Feature: BattleClinic's Chris Condon On Using Iovation To - Gamasutra
I'm Chris Condon, and I founded BattleClinic in 2001. My background includes 18 years in corporate organizational development, especially around building learning games. It comes in handy when designing new player guides, tutorials, and tools that
Source: www.gamasutra.com