Pages

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

A Sleepy Patch Day

Yesterday CCP released the Mosaic patch for EVE Online. As is usually the case, I didn't really have an eventful time as I spent my time playing in the desolate reaches of Great Wildlands. But I do have to say I noticed some of the features.

The first thing I did after downloading the patch, as regular readers may have guessed, is put two-factor authentication on all my accounts. For me, after my experience both Wildstar and Guild Wars 2, sticking Google Authenticator onto the accounts is a no-brainer. In Wildstar, Carbine didn't institute two-factor authentication until the actual launch date, not at the beginning of early access. When I discovered that 2FA was an option, I just played that day and planned to download and use Google Authenticator the next day. Big mistake, because before I could log on again, my account was hacked.

In GW2, I used email as a second layer of protection for my account. But the last time I tried to log into that game to take a quick screenshot, I discovered botters/RMTers had hacked my account and my account was banned. Oh well, wasn't playing that game anyway, so I didn't even bother to try to retrieve my account. Just another example of how the illicit RMT trade costs game publishers customers and possibly money, because I'm pretty sure I would have purchased the expansion. Now? Why bother?

I'll just add one more thing about Google Authenticator. Make sure you print out the backup codes. Especially for those going to EVE Vegas and may wind up going to a pool party. The instructions are pretty clear on how to move the app from one phone to the next, but if your phone decides to go swimming, the backup codes will come in handy.

Once I logged in, I received a pleasant surprise. Aura said hello. However, Aura is a bloodthirsty AI and wanted me to start shooting things. Even if I wanted to hunt down some Circadian Seekers for some of that material needed to produce Entosis links, I was exploring in a Cheetah. No guns. So I closed the window and Aura went away. As I probed and hacked sites, I would receive notifications that I had completed certain opportunities. But no voice notification from Aura. Was she sulking?1

A last look around a completed relic site
One thing I didn't try was probing with the new map. Quite frankly, I didn't even think to do so. When probing, I just pressed the button that brings up the map. I logged back in later to see if I was using the old or new map for probing and now have the new map stuck in the probing window. While my corpmates are reporting issues when a site shows up as split signatures and are moving back to the old map, I probably should use the new map a few times just to see what the issues are for myself. That is, if the issues weren't fixed with the updates I noticed load when I fired up the client after downtime.

Hey, I don't fly Gallente
I probably should add something about the new ship skins, named, approximately enough, Super Kerr-Induced Nanocoatings (SKIN). I have a bunch of giveaway ships that I never bothered to redeem. Looks like I don't have to worry, as they appear to have transformed into the appropriate SKINs.

Overall, a pretty uneventful night. But uneventful is okay. Sometimes I just want to spend some time scanning and play the hacking mini-game. I'm getting pretty good at the game too, not losing any cans and failing a hacking attempt only once. So, let's call Mosaic a tentative win as we look forward to the big release featuring the null sec sovereignty capture revamp in June.


NOTES

1. I don't actually expect CCP to put voice notifications for opportunities into the game. Voice acting is expensive.




5 comments:

  1. Man, I misread that as "I have a bunch of SKINS I want to give away", and eagerly rushed to stick my name in. Alas for my dodgy eyesight :D.


    I often find that uneventful-ness is only good when you're away from activity. Having just take a 20 day sabbatical from my alliance, I've realised that I want in on activity, just only on my terms. Living a sleepy life isn't so much fun.


    Rob K.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I too am adjusting to the beta map while scanning. I expect that the old map will eventually be phased out - so I am forcing myself to get used to the beta. Particularly in non-hostile situ which is a lot more forgiving. I do find resizing the probe size a little odd, it is not at the edge now. But rather slightly inside the probe sphere. And I have the advantage of a 24 inch screen.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I spent the first 15 or so minutes (logged on an alt) slowboating down to the POS from my just off grid perch... and then I flew to the top of the FF and flew DOWN the pipe!!! The sight of the new FF effects were.... well, Tur is a happy Matarii is all I can say.

    Then I logged on Tur (Main) in Hisec and setup an Ishtar with a good active shield tank (43k EHP, +70% or better resists across the board) and very healthy mixed drone DPS. Then I went hunting Sleepers in Hisec!!!! NOW THIS was FUN!!!

    I setup warp pounces at the station and at the Jove Observatory... then the Seekers spawned at the JoveOb and I went in hot...

    The Seekers do not react in set piece ways all the time, they are tough but not too tough, fast but not too fast... they can follow you if you warp off and re-engage, which they did and I fought the same spawn at the Observatory and at the Station... add to that the constant and very real fear of the DrifterBSHotDrop...

    In the second wave of my first run as the last Seeker blew up a Drifter spawned... I was aligned and at speed to my 200km pounce... I got hit twice before I went to warp... and landed in 90% hull... my shields and armor were just gone... LOL!!

    I then played dock games with the Drifter until I found a station I could repair at... and went back for the last Seeker Drop and damn near got caught by the Drifter again... I ran 2 spawns of 2 waves each and scooped a total of 5 Antikythera Elements for an ingame est of 12.6m ISK each... potentially 63m ISK!! oh hells yeah!!!

    Simply the BEST and most lucrative pure FUN I have had doing anything, much less solo PvE, in Hisec in YEARS!!!!

    Running Sleepers in Hisec.... who would have ever imagined!?!

    Really really nice job CCP... have a cookie. =]

    ReplyDelete
  4. Should have put the Google Authenticator on your GW2 account, I guess. They've had it since release haven't they??

    ReplyDelete
  5. These kind of patch dayyys are the money maker.

    Something to stay awake for imho.

    My cash flow figures for the last 48 hrs:

    Earned: 38.741.112.877

    Spend: -32.762.327.003

    (also sold 15 plex and bought 13 plex, market pvp is best pvp :)

    PS: honourable mention of you Noisy in:

    http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-04-29-world-of-warcraft-and-the-battle-against-black-market-gold

    ReplyDelete