When looking for examples of what Mark Stephen Meadows is discussing in his book, I, Avatar, you need look no further than EVE-Online. In the world of EVE-Online, users engage in social activities beyond what is normally capable, but mirroring the real world. They form national entities, social systems, even their own policing forces.
As he discussed Lindin Labs' vision, it seemed reminiscent of what has been going on in the world of New Eden. However, it goes further, and simulates the more dastardly elements that he discussed.
Thievery and assassination are strong elements in EVE Online, and are in fact a big draw to the game.
In this article, we have the social system that Lindin Labs had hoped to create, and the dastardly, malicious activity that was a byproduct of such a system. Much like Killingmachine Marx, (and arguably, the author in his retalation), the Guiding Hand used underhanded tactics to subjugate an enemy. It goes even further, that they were paid in a contract to do this.
Lindin Labs had wanted to create a real world, much like EVE Online's CCP. Both have created a seedier element. As you can see from this article, sometimes it is the more dispicable behavior, and the potential for such, that draws players into a game. Other such events often incurred a retaliation on behalf of the victims.
A quick look on CCP's forums reveal much truth to this. Entire corporations are built around pirating, espionage, scamming, and other corporations are built around fighting this sort of thing. This kind of immersive, emergent behaviour is a critical point to analyze when discussing the success of a sandbox game, the likes of which constantly discussed in I, Avatar.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Future Supposition
The future holds many possibilities. To accurately predict specifics would be an incredible, next to impossible feat. Yet, discussion on the topic is always interesting, so here I shall attempt to provide such discourse.
Ten years down the road is the target. The basics I believe will stay the same. I will hold a job, build a family, live in a home. The technology involved may have evolved, but the premise will remain without a doubt. We will probably still have elected offices, and the same offices. The nation will be largely in tact, and the social/national structure will also be in tact.
Here's the reasoning behind this. This scenario has worked well for a very, very long time. Such basic things have little reason to change fundamentally, and ten years is not long enough to produce a reason.
Government, I believe, will grow bigger. It seems that in times of trouble, the common response is to make more government oversight, expanding the power of the government. Today we see this in the incoming president, and the creation of more oversight as a response to the financial crisis. These trends can grow to include internet and technology oversight, closer surveillance, and even oversight to monitor social trends.
My job is likely to be in technology, specifically in programming. Technology jobs I think will become more common as more and more technology becomes available, and innovations more and more important.
It will likely still be a 9-5 setup. Work environments are still important, so telecommuting may only be for certain circumstances. Depending on my stage of life, and the job, the company may be very important in my life; but family will be the most controlling factor in my day-to-day.
I guess my point is this. Technology and situations may change over the course of time; however the basics of our society will survive, just like they do in other societies. As the saying goes,"The more things change, the more they stay the same".
Now for changes. The internet, I believe, will eventually open up as companies give up trying to litigate and manage users' rights. DRM is failing today, and may be phased out over time in order to compete. As it is now, DRM is causing more revenue loss than it retains, and as more companies realize this, the more sure I am of its eventual demise.
Information will become more readily available. As portable devices gain internet access (high speed in some cases), information can literally be at one's fingertips wherever they go. The effects of this will be far reaching. Politics, science, news, and the arts will be the most affected. Scientific discoveries, ideas, and research can be shared globally in less than a second. Politicians will be scrutinized much more thoroughly, and dissented much more often.
The voters will become more and more informed ( or mis-informed; but either way behaving as if informed), and the politicians will need to adjust their strategies to compensate. Today, it appears the mainstream media can greatly influence public opinion in their choices of reporting (or not reporting) certain items. This may not be the same in the future, due to the large dissimenation of information.
News and ideas will be transmitted just as easily. Digital art, distrubuted throughout the world may become more popular. Artistic trends will change faster and faster, much like the meme's of today.
So this is my look of the future. Alot of the same, with some subtle differences.
Ten years down the road is the target. The basics I believe will stay the same. I will hold a job, build a family, live in a home. The technology involved may have evolved, but the premise will remain without a doubt. We will probably still have elected offices, and the same offices. The nation will be largely in tact, and the social/national structure will also be in tact.
Here's the reasoning behind this. This scenario has worked well for a very, very long time. Such basic things have little reason to change fundamentally, and ten years is not long enough to produce a reason.
Government, I believe, will grow bigger. It seems that in times of trouble, the common response is to make more government oversight, expanding the power of the government. Today we see this in the incoming president, and the creation of more oversight as a response to the financial crisis. These trends can grow to include internet and technology oversight, closer surveillance, and even oversight to monitor social trends.
My job is likely to be in technology, specifically in programming. Technology jobs I think will become more common as more and more technology becomes available, and innovations more and more important.
It will likely still be a 9-5 setup. Work environments are still important, so telecommuting may only be for certain circumstances. Depending on my stage of life, and the job, the company may be very important in my life; but family will be the most controlling factor in my day-to-day.
I guess my point is this. Technology and situations may change over the course of time; however the basics of our society will survive, just like they do in other societies. As the saying goes,"The more things change, the more they stay the same".
Now for changes. The internet, I believe, will eventually open up as companies give up trying to litigate and manage users' rights. DRM is failing today, and may be phased out over time in order to compete. As it is now, DRM is causing more revenue loss than it retains, and as more companies realize this, the more sure I am of its eventual demise.
Information will become more readily available. As portable devices gain internet access (high speed in some cases), information can literally be at one's fingertips wherever they go. The effects of this will be far reaching. Politics, science, news, and the arts will be the most affected. Scientific discoveries, ideas, and research can be shared globally in less than a second. Politicians will be scrutinized much more thoroughly, and dissented much more often.
The voters will become more and more informed ( or mis-informed; but either way behaving as if informed), and the politicians will need to adjust their strategies to compensate. Today, it appears the mainstream media can greatly influence public opinion in their choices of reporting (or not reporting) certain items. This may not be the same in the future, due to the large dissimenation of information.
News and ideas will be transmitted just as easily. Digital art, distrubuted throughout the world may become more popular. Artistic trends will change faster and faster, much like the meme's of today.
So this is my look of the future. Alot of the same, with some subtle differences.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Real ID
Real ID is an act passed that is requiring states to update their ID system, waiving laws prohibiting physical barriers at borders, and several other important immigration changes, asylum changes, etc.
There isn't much info on technical specifics worth mentioning, but here's a gist.
1. All states must share DMV databases amongst each other. Information about drivers is instantly available.
2. Security measures must be enhanced on all documents. (Holograms, small-print, etc).
3. Required for travel, entrance into federal facilities, nuclear power plants.
There isn't much info on technical specifics worth mentioning, but here's a gist.
1. All states must share DMV databases amongst each other. Information about drivers is instantly available.
2. Security measures must be enhanced on all documents. (Holograms, small-print, etc).
3. Required for travel, entrance into federal facilities, nuclear power plants.
Blind Man's Bluff
The interesting topic of espionage, counter-espionage, and surveillance is covered pretty well by "Little Brother". An Orwellian supposition on our near future is the mainstay of this story, in which the populace is being monitored closely following terrorist attacks.
I found that while the scenario is a bit exaggerated, the technology and protocols are all entirely modern. The author makes an attempt at capturing today's technological subculture, and for the most part has been successful.
Small cameras, tracking software, histogram detection methods, wifi-detectors are all things we've encountered before (even if we don't know it). Their widespread use for the purposes of surveillance of an entire populace, and overt surveillance at that, simply has not been done in the United States as of yet; but the technology is there.
Okay, so we know the cameras are available, that's a no brainer, but what about gait tracking software? This rather interesting concept is something I'm not sure exists yet, but the premises are available. Use a camera to identify shapes, watch the change in these shapes and make a supposition on the nature of these changes.
This type of software does exist. Volvo, for instance, is using a derivative of this to help cars identify incoming obstacles, and automatically apply the brakes. The camera identifies a shape, identifies that it has gotten larger, or has quickly appeared close to the camera, and determines it is an obstacle. This is an improvement over current, radar/infrasound based technologies for reasons that are beyond the scope of this writing.
The technology I am most familiar with in the story, however, would be the cryptological methods described. Public/Private key, web-of-trust, middle-man attacks, are all things I've studied for a good while when concerned with web development. Use in the situations described is entirely plausible, and recommended!
Security is a continually evolving field, with many angles that need to be covered. It's interesting to see how the mathematical cryptography could be worked around with even more math using the histogram methods; Bayesier math. The simplistic elegance really contrasts with the complexity of higher math, an item touched upon in the story as well.
I found that while the scenario is a bit exaggerated, the technology and protocols are all entirely modern. The author makes an attempt at capturing today's technological subculture, and for the most part has been successful.
Small cameras, tracking software, histogram detection methods, wifi-detectors are all things we've encountered before (even if we don't know it). Their widespread use for the purposes of surveillance of an entire populace, and overt surveillance at that, simply has not been done in the United States as of yet; but the technology is there.
Okay, so we know the cameras are available, that's a no brainer, but what about gait tracking software? This rather interesting concept is something I'm not sure exists yet, but the premises are available. Use a camera to identify shapes, watch the change in these shapes and make a supposition on the nature of these changes.
This type of software does exist. Volvo, for instance, is using a derivative of this to help cars identify incoming obstacles, and automatically apply the brakes. The camera identifies a shape, identifies that it has gotten larger, or has quickly appeared close to the camera, and determines it is an obstacle. This is an improvement over current, radar/infrasound based technologies for reasons that are beyond the scope of this writing.
The technology I am most familiar with in the story, however, would be the cryptological methods described. Public/Private key, web-of-trust, middle-man attacks, are all things I've studied for a good while when concerned with web development. Use in the situations described is entirely plausible, and recommended!
Security is a continually evolving field, with many angles that need to be covered. It's interesting to see how the mathematical cryptography could be worked around with even more math using the histogram methods; Bayesier math. The simplistic elegance really contrasts with the complexity of higher math, an item touched upon in the story as well.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Nom nom nom
Okay. It's 4am, and this is now the fifth attempt at posting something here. Damn thing seems to have eaten my last however-many-posts. I'm fed up and about to collapse; so sorry this space will be filled sometime later when I'm awake.
In the meantime, I'll post something I wrote a while back when I was bored. The following is a copy/paste from a Facebook note I wrote (hah. that rhymed), and yes, I know it has nothing to do with anything. I just have this thing about after spending the last god knows how long trying to rewrite posts from memory, and still failing, that I shall not leave this space depressingly short.
Now I feel at least a little accomplished
I became interested in flight and aviation when I was much younger. My father would take me to Martin State Airport; pulled over at a little observation area near the fence. My grandfather would tell me stories about how F-86 Sabers saved him and his platoon in Korea.
Since then, I became interested in PC simulation, and military flight simulation. When I was in a writing mood I decided to write a few lines after hearing some stories from friends ( real combat pilots )I had met while flying these simulators.
In the meantime, I'll post something I wrote a while back when I was bored. The following is a copy/paste from a Facebook note I wrote (hah. that rhymed), and yes, I know it has nothing to do with anything. I just have this thing about after spending the last god knows how long trying to rewrite posts from memory, and still failing, that I shall not leave this space depressingly short.
Now I feel at least a little accomplished
I became interested in flight and aviation when I was much younger. My father would take me to Martin State Airport; pulled over at a little observation area near the fence. My grandfather would tell me stories about how F-86 Sabers saved him and his platoon in Korea.
Since then, I became interested in PC simulation, and military flight simulation. When I was in a writing mood I decided to write a few lines after hearing some stories from friends ( real combat pilots )I had met while flying these simulators.
-- Ode to the Falconeer
Soaring effortlessly amongst the windswept heaven,
Rising on metal wings above Angels Eleven,
He is the guardian of the unmet brothers down below,
Comrades with their arms in tow, marching to meet their dire foe.
When danger he spies from above, no time for them to heed his call.
Action conspires with fate, as he takes himself and his life into free fall.
Falling with the wrath of heaven,
The burning power blazing in the descent.
Diving with a fierce range in his eyes,
Smiting for liberty, in his Cadillac of the Skies.
--- Jack Rappazzo
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Starlit City
I not-so-regretfully return to the world of New Eden for this posting. I allowed my account to lapse on Pirates of the Burning Sea, and as such do not have access to the game world.
Cities in New Eden are mostly unseen by the Pod Pilots. Cities are too rustic, unfit for men and women of their position. There are cultural centers, social centers, and economic centers visible in EVE, but not always centered in the same place.
Social and cultural interaction usually takes place via the chat channels. Without a concrete location for players to idle in game other than a space station (which restricts you to the hangar), the primary communication tools find themselves filling in the gaps caused by being de-centralized.
As far as other needs are concerned, the space station is the closest you can get to a city within EVE. Certain stations (Such as the JITA 4-4 station of The Citadel Region) are more popular than others, but they all fill the same needs. They provide a point of trade, housing the markets and escrow items. They repair vessels, allow pilots to rearm and refit their ships, and facilitates trading.
Only part of the system can function without other players. Vehicle repairs and fitting services function just as well with or without other players. Agents can be spoken to (NPCs), and missions accepted and completed. However, trade, contracts, corporation offices and market interactions all require another player.
The station is very much an obvious illusion. UI elements display the functionality of the station, not physical travel and interaction. Simple menu navigation and UI manipulation accomplishes all possible tasks. However, there is work being done to allow the avatars to move about the station.
Currently, the internal views of the station shows illusionary activity. News tickers and advertisements for in-world, but inaccessible services flash by. Observation lights pan around, and vehicles even move about on these interiors.
All in all, cities are largely simulated in stations, but are actually represented by the tools present in the communications within Alliances, and the economic hubs of regions.
Cities in New Eden are mostly unseen by the Pod Pilots. Cities are too rustic, unfit for men and women of their position. There are cultural centers, social centers, and economic centers visible in EVE, but not always centered in the same place.
Social and cultural interaction usually takes place via the chat channels. Without a concrete location for players to idle in game other than a space station (which restricts you to the hangar), the primary communication tools find themselves filling in the gaps caused by being de-centralized.
As far as other needs are concerned, the space station is the closest you can get to a city within EVE. Certain stations (Such as the JITA 4-4 station of The Citadel Region) are more popular than others, but they all fill the same needs. They provide a point of trade, housing the markets and escrow items. They repair vessels, allow pilots to rearm and refit their ships, and facilitates trading.
Only part of the system can function without other players. Vehicle repairs and fitting services function just as well with or without other players. Agents can be spoken to (NPCs), and missions accepted and completed. However, trade, contracts, corporation offices and market interactions all require another player.
The station is very much an obvious illusion. UI elements display the functionality of the station, not physical travel and interaction. Simple menu navigation and UI manipulation accomplishes all possible tasks. However, there is work being done to allow the avatars to move about the station.
Currently, the internal views of the station shows illusionary activity. News tickers and advertisements for in-world, but inaccessible services flash by. Observation lights pan around, and vehicles even move about on these interiors.
All in all, cities are largely simulated in stations, but are actually represented by the tools present in the communications within Alliances, and the economic hubs of regions.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A Diamond Age, and a Copper Era
So I finally managed to snag myself a copy of The Diamond Age, over the weekend. Quite a fascinating book with rich characters. The world is well developed and interesting, both technologically and culturally. However it does leave me with a few questions.
Not about the current world, but the events leading up to it. I suppose if I read Snow Crash I'd understand a bit better. I'm trying to understand how the phyles came about; how did people start becoming so divided culturally, so much so that each cultural group acted as its own political entity.
Also, how did people come to accept the popularity of the nano machines? Today, it seems people are a little fearful of the invasive technology this suggests. The enhanced surveillance, hidden weapons (skull guns), and even torture devices (Mr. PhyrePhox).
It must be a very fearful society, knowing that the person next to you could be armed with a tiny firearm implanted in their head, or they could hack into your own body, and embed advertisements into your vision. My main question is how do people deal with this? How are they compliant and what led to the overall acceptance.
In New Eden, one sometimes finds returning to the beginning to be as fascination adventure as moving on into the upper echelons of player-alliance warfare. I decided to join a small corporation that had ambitions of moving into low-security space in order to set up a small station there.
However, I was dismayed to discover that as a pilot with my particular set of abilities, I had little place here. This was an industrial corporation, (Product Number 3 they call themselves) which considered "high combat" to be fighting the local NPCs. They made little effort to protect themselves against player attack, or war declarations, and merely hoped diplomacy would avert any tensions.
The system we scoped out for the station is a 0.4 security system, the highest security possible to still be called "low-sec", and therefore without CONCORD consequences. This particular system is surrounded by high-sec systems, making it a de-facto island of its type. It was no great adventure travelling here; a mere novelty. Almost as safe as true high-security. There was no risk or application, and I soon found myself despairing in the lack of activity I've found myself.
Escorting mining operations seems to be the most intense mission I've undertaken since starting with this corporation (despite being the most experienced combat personelle on their roster). This task, in high-security space which the corporation refuses to leave, simply involves me hovering around the miners in my Cerberus, and intimidating away anyone who might steal ore from the floating canisters we use as a go-between for the miners and hauling ships.
The closest I've come to actually firing was when a mining barge hovered over one of our "jet-cans" (jettison canister. We jettison material into space in a large container, and then add into the container so we don't fill up the host ship's cargo hold). He lingered for a while as if he was trying to remove some of our minerals, so I locked with my targetting computer, and approached warp-drive scramble range.
He, of course, thought better of his decisions and moved on.
Not about the current world, but the events leading up to it. I suppose if I read Snow Crash I'd understand a bit better. I'm trying to understand how the phyles came about; how did people start becoming so divided culturally, so much so that each cultural group acted as its own political entity.
Also, how did people come to accept the popularity of the nano machines? Today, it seems people are a little fearful of the invasive technology this suggests. The enhanced surveillance, hidden weapons (skull guns), and even torture devices (Mr. PhyrePhox).
It must be a very fearful society, knowing that the person next to you could be armed with a tiny firearm implanted in their head, or they could hack into your own body, and embed advertisements into your vision. My main question is how do people deal with this? How are they compliant and what led to the overall acceptance.
In New Eden, one sometimes finds returning to the beginning to be as fascination adventure as moving on into the upper echelons of player-alliance warfare. I decided to join a small corporation that had ambitions of moving into low-security space in order to set up a small station there.
However, I was dismayed to discover that as a pilot with my particular set of abilities, I had little place here. This was an industrial corporation, (Product Number 3 they call themselves) which considered "high combat" to be fighting the local NPCs. They made little effort to protect themselves against player attack, or war declarations, and merely hoped diplomacy would avert any tensions.
The system we scoped out for the station is a 0.4 security system, the highest security possible to still be called "low-sec", and therefore without CONCORD consequences. This particular system is surrounded by high-sec systems, making it a de-facto island of its type. It was no great adventure travelling here; a mere novelty. Almost as safe as true high-security. There was no risk or application, and I soon found myself despairing in the lack of activity I've found myself.
Escorting mining operations seems to be the most intense mission I've undertaken since starting with this corporation (despite being the most experienced combat personelle on their roster). This task, in high-security space which the corporation refuses to leave, simply involves me hovering around the miners in my Cerberus, and intimidating away anyone who might steal ore from the floating canisters we use as a go-between for the miners and hauling ships.
The closest I've come to actually firing was when a mining barge hovered over one of our "jet-cans" (jettison canister. We jettison material into space in a large container, and then add into the container so we don't fill up the host ship's cargo hold). He lingered for a while as if he was trying to remove some of our minerals, so I locked with my targetting computer, and approached warp-drive scramble range.
He, of course, thought better of his decisions and moved on.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Back to the Beginning
So I take a brief respite from EVE-Online to discuss another title, Pirates of the Burning Sea. Published by Sony Online Entertainment (read: Bastards), and developed by Flying Labs Studios, the game did relatively well early on, but has since taken a nose dive into obscurity due to complete lack of proper marketing (see: Bastards). I can go into great detail about why such blunders are not uncommon from SOE, but I must digress. PotBS is a well thought out game, with some pitfalls, but it controls well, is easy for a new player, and is overall quite enjoyable.
So I created my character in PotBS, named once again Khamal Jolstien. I'm fond of this name, as I came up with it for a short story I had tried to write some years ago. I never really use any other name with persistent world games. I guess the familiarity is what keeps me using it.
I went against my better nature and created a French Naval Officer character, choosing rather average looking attributes. He is blonde (the other hair styles were bleh), with a gotee, and is the most different looking of any character I've made. He does, however, blend in with his environment pretty well, so all is well. The whole purpose of his design was to match his time period and his associations.
I start off in a social engagement with an important officer of the French Navy. As the party goes on, pirates raid the shore and storm up to the party. Swords and pistols are drawn and the officer is wounded. I personally engage a few of the rascals with a saber, handily bringing them down.
The controls are pretty standard. The W,A,S,D keys move my character. Clicking starts an engagement, and pressing a number chooses a special attack assigned to it. Controlling is relatively simple, but can get frantic trying to choose attacks while defending yourself.
I move into my first vessel, a Heavy Corvette (which is not heavy at all). She has only a few guns, (4lbs) but can move around pretty easily. W and S raise and lowere the sails, A and D control the rudder. Spacebar fires the guns when a target is selected (provided the guns are facing the target, of course). Right clicking a target in a firing arc will also fire the guns.
What's interesting is how closely they modelled the vessels. Each ship has its own sailing characteristics, dictated by the rigging and sail type. Triangular shaped sails, such as on a Sloop or Xebec, allow for excellent sailing at a broad reach (perpendicular wind). This is advantageous as much manuevering occurs at these angles. Square rigged ships, such as frigates, need wind at their backs to reach top speed.
Currents are easy to understand and use in the game as well. Arrows on the map and visible in the water alert you to a current and which way it is running. Riding one provides a significant speed bonus while in transit.
NPCs are simple, with branching conversation and simple combat AI. Speaking with NPCs with quest icons (the well known ! icon) allows you to choose a mission for experience and doubloons. It's intuitive and simple to understand. The only problem is you don't always understand where to go. Usually back to the coxswain to travel by longboat, sometimes to a location within the city. Waypoints help understand where to go, however.
The only problem with the environment in PotBS is that it feels propped up without the massively multiplayer feel to it. The population is unbareably low, which can be frustrating for players looking to socialize. Even worse, it makes areas feel just plain empty. As a new player, and eventually an experienced player 25 - 26 levels into the game, I have yet to group with a player, and only interacted once. This missing element (a pure population problem) hurts the game far more than if they failed at any of the interactions with their game.
Overall it is a fun game. Combat in ships is very fun, and the entire scene could be very well used as a single player game. (It has been done to decent effect by Firaxis', Sid Meier's Pirates!) The few players I did speak to and run into barely reacted to me, too preoccupied with whatever they were doing. Another new player did speak for a few moments, but assumed I was an alternate character from an old player, and not an actual fresh user. My appearance seemed to have little effect on how players reacted to me.
So I created my character in PotBS, named once again Khamal Jolstien. I'm fond of this name, as I came up with it for a short story I had tried to write some years ago. I never really use any other name with persistent world games. I guess the familiarity is what keeps me using it.
I went against my better nature and created a French Naval Officer character, choosing rather average looking attributes. He is blonde (the other hair styles were bleh), with a gotee, and is the most different looking of any character I've made. He does, however, blend in with his environment pretty well, so all is well. The whole purpose of his design was to match his time period and his associations.
I start off in a social engagement with an important officer of the French Navy. As the party goes on, pirates raid the shore and storm up to the party. Swords and pistols are drawn and the officer is wounded. I personally engage a few of the rascals with a saber, handily bringing them down.
The controls are pretty standard. The W,A,S,D keys move my character. Clicking starts an engagement, and pressing a number chooses a special attack assigned to it. Controlling is relatively simple, but can get frantic trying to choose attacks while defending yourself.
I move into my first vessel, a Heavy Corvette (which is not heavy at all). She has only a few guns, (4lbs) but can move around pretty easily. W and S raise and lowere the sails, A and D control the rudder. Spacebar fires the guns when a target is selected (provided the guns are facing the target, of course). Right clicking a target in a firing arc will also fire the guns.
What's interesting is how closely they modelled the vessels. Each ship has its own sailing characteristics, dictated by the rigging and sail type. Triangular shaped sails, such as on a Sloop or Xebec, allow for excellent sailing at a broad reach (perpendicular wind). This is advantageous as much manuevering occurs at these angles. Square rigged ships, such as frigates, need wind at their backs to reach top speed.
Currents are easy to understand and use in the game as well. Arrows on the map and visible in the water alert you to a current and which way it is running. Riding one provides a significant speed bonus while in transit.
NPCs are simple, with branching conversation and simple combat AI. Speaking with NPCs with quest icons (the well known ! icon) allows you to choose a mission for experience and doubloons. It's intuitive and simple to understand. The only problem is you don't always understand where to go. Usually back to the coxswain to travel by longboat, sometimes to a location within the city. Waypoints help understand where to go, however.
The only problem with the environment in PotBS is that it feels propped up without the massively multiplayer feel to it. The population is unbareably low, which can be frustrating for players looking to socialize. Even worse, it makes areas feel just plain empty. As a new player, and eventually an experienced player 25 - 26 levels into the game, I have yet to group with a player, and only interacted once. This missing element (a pure population problem) hurts the game far more than if they failed at any of the interactions with their game.
Overall it is a fun game. Combat in ships is very fun, and the entire scene could be very well used as a single player game. (It has been done to decent effect by Firaxis', Sid Meier's Pirates!) The few players I did speak to and run into barely reacted to me, too preoccupied with whatever they were doing. Another new player did speak for a few moments, but assumed I was an alternate character from an old player, and not an actual fresh user. My appearance seemed to have little effect on how players reacted to me.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Go, Go, Gadget Implants!
Johnny Mnemonic is an... adaptation of the original short story of the same name. It attempts to keep the same basic story line, but a lot of the mood and emphasis has been changed in order to make it a more "interesting" movie. It suffered a bit in the delivery, but still maintained its theme.
The New York Times, and many viewers in general, lament that the delivery by Keanu Reeves tends to make him appear less human in his portrayal of Johnny. Problematic to say the least, the distraction completely removes the interesting character that was the original Johnny.
The "hollywoodisation" of the story seriously detracted from its original intentent, even more so than robot-boy Reeves. Ebert couldn't even take the movie seriously, insisting that instead of a story, it was just a mish mash of scenes from "the old movie shelf". Characters are wholly adjusted or removed (Mollie anyone?), and the plot adjusted to follow the "Point a to b" that Ebert mentions.
It's unfortunate that the supporting characters are just as problematic as Johnny. Mollie had some potential to give more depth to the types of implants, and the strangeness that is her profession (body guard that actively recruits clients?). Christopher Null makes the same assertion, that the characters seem "plastic- and lifeless". His short article was more of a review, however used here as a reminder that even as a hollywood movie, it did not seem to deliver quite what was expected.
Not everyone despises this movie, myself included. It has its moments, and the environment is interesting and the ideas still a representation of cyberpunk. The focus of information and its acquisition and importance is strongly present in the movie.Jussi Parikka in her posting to this journal makes the point,
So as information is the focus in the cyberpunk genre, the same is true in this movie. But I believe that to be more in spite of the director and studio, rather than as a compliment to them. The cheesy additions to the story do nothing to actually add to it, just as the acting detracted from it. The "hollywoodisation" removed many of the interesting story elements and ideas that I liked most (leaving them out to keep this brief!).
Anyway, I leave this blog post with this. Johnny Mnemonic very well could have been quite good, awesome even. The original story was dark, but with a sense of adventure about it. It had it's drama, and action. The movie version attempted to artificially add these elements, and that's exactly how it came out.
Artificial.
The New York Times, and many viewers in general, lament that the delivery by Keanu Reeves tends to make him appear less human in his portrayal of Johnny. Problematic to say the least, the distraction completely removes the interesting character that was the original Johnny.
The "hollywoodisation" of the story seriously detracted from its original intentent, even more so than robot-boy Reeves. Ebert couldn't even take the movie seriously, insisting that instead of a story, it was just a mish mash of scenes from "the old movie shelf". Characters are wholly adjusted or removed (Mollie anyone?), and the plot adjusted to follow the "Point a to b" that Ebert mentions.
It's unfortunate that the supporting characters are just as problematic as Johnny. Mollie had some potential to give more depth to the types of implants, and the strangeness that is her profession (body guard that actively recruits clients?). Christopher Null makes the same assertion, that the characters seem "plastic- and lifeless". His short article was more of a review, however used here as a reminder that even as a hollywood movie, it did not seem to deliver quite what was expected.
Not everyone despises this movie, myself included. It has its moments, and the environment is interesting and the ideas still a representation of cyberpunk. The focus of information and its acquisition and importance is strongly present in the movie.Jussi Parikka in her posting to this journal makes the point,
This theme can be deciphered also as a general cinematic pattern in cyberpunk-narratives such as Johnny Mnemonic where of course the movie revolves around transportation of data but also the whole narrative is based around movement of looking for someone, meeting new people – a complex system of networks.
So as information is the focus in the cyberpunk genre, the same is true in this movie. But I believe that to be more in spite of the director and studio, rather than as a compliment to them. The cheesy additions to the story do nothing to actually add to it, just as the acting detracted from it. The "hollywoodisation" removed many of the interesting story elements and ideas that I liked most (leaving them out to keep this brief!).
Anyway, I leave this blog post with this. Johnny Mnemonic very well could have been quite good, awesome even. The original story was dark, but with a sense of adventure about it. It had it's drama, and action. The movie version attempted to artificially add these elements, and that's exactly how it came out.
Artificial.
Red Star Revisited
So I promised I'd get back to Red Star, Winter Orbit, so here I am. I've also been attempting to read Mirrorshades, but since it's been irritatingly difficult to find I only have Red Star to discuss today.
So, Red Star, Winter Orbit is pretty different than other stories of the Cyberpunk genre. It shows little of the culture of terrestrial Earth, not much is known of the situation, very much unlike more typical stories such as Johnny Mnemonic. However, the themes are the same. Dark, dystopian situations in an altered society.
The story involves a group of Cosmonauts on board a space station, some, especially the KGB agent, have become corrupt. Others, the plumber, try and hold onto the old ideals. The plumber laments on the abuse of the elderly, and historically important Colonel, and immediately proceeds to do something about it. Meanwhile, the KGB is more than happy to manipulate for his gain.
Corruption and control are part of the story. A fear inducing toxin is introduced in the story (Re: A dose of the Fear), and is a representation of how the idea of control has advanced in the society. Being able to induce symptoms of extreme paranoia is a powerful form of control, rendering the victim helpless in their own fear.
Decay and despair are part of the story as well. The United States is in decline, and their space program is reduced to mere high-altitude balloons. The Russians have gained supremacy, but even they have abandoned space. The Balloon's inhabitants are trying to expand, but are having to scavenge to do it. They even used extra boosters (they have them lying around apparently) to push the decaying station back into stable orbit.
The story has a strangely hopeful ending. Once the station had been damaged and its orbit decaying, drifters from the American Balloons arrive. They're after the true frontier, using anything and everything to advance themselves in space. It shows that holding to the core values provides hope and in their case, success. American history is known for the frontier spirit, the great expansion westward soon after the founding of the nation. The throwback to this endeavor adds a light hearted tone unknown to most of the genre.
So, Red Star, Winter Orbit is pretty different than other stories of the Cyberpunk genre. It shows little of the culture of terrestrial Earth, not much is known of the situation, very much unlike more typical stories such as Johnny Mnemonic. However, the themes are the same. Dark, dystopian situations in an altered society.
The story involves a group of Cosmonauts on board a space station, some, especially the KGB agent, have become corrupt. Others, the plumber, try and hold onto the old ideals. The plumber laments on the abuse of the elderly, and historically important Colonel, and immediately proceeds to do something about it. Meanwhile, the KGB is more than happy to manipulate for his gain.
Corruption and control are part of the story. A fear inducing toxin is introduced in the story (Re: A dose of the Fear), and is a representation of how the idea of control has advanced in the society. Being able to induce symptoms of extreme paranoia is a powerful form of control, rendering the victim helpless in their own fear.
Decay and despair are part of the story as well. The United States is in decline, and their space program is reduced to mere high-altitude balloons. The Russians have gained supremacy, but even they have abandoned space. The Balloon's inhabitants are trying to expand, but are having to scavenge to do it. They even used extra boosters (they have them lying around apparently) to push the decaying station back into stable orbit.
The story has a strangely hopeful ending. Once the station had been damaged and its orbit decaying, drifters from the American Balloons arrive. They're after the true frontier, using anything and everything to advance themselves in space. It shows that holding to the core values provides hope and in their case, success. American history is known for the frontier spirit, the great expansion westward soon after the founding of the nation. The throwback to this endeavor adds a light hearted tone unknown to most of the genre.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Of Red Stars, and Star Factions
So, while I wait for another of my skills to train, I found and read the short story, "Red Star, Winter Orbit", a tale of an alternate history where the Soviet Union has won the space race. A story that captures the cyberpunk genre, it gives a bleak, yet somehow hopeful future.
The story is about the crew of a Soviet space station, Kosmograd, the slowly collapsing American influence, and ultimately the conversion of space into a true frontier. It contains the elements of cyberpunk; a dystopian world with high technology, where information and control are foci.
I'll elaborate more on this later, as I only just finished reading it, and move on to the adventures in EVE.
The slow decline of my corporation has finally become apparent as yet another familiar face has left the group. I wonder when I personally should start seeking a new home. We all keep in contact with our own communications channel (colloquially: a chat room), so any worries of being alienated are fading.
They are still, however present. There is no surer route to destruction than abandoning friends in New Eden. Trust is a commodity in this violent and cruel society, and attempting to go on one's own is a fast trip to destruction. Pirates, roaming paramilitary forces, con artists, imperial militias, even random pod pilots bored, just looking to shoot something: all are threats.
So I make good use of the friendship I have in the pilot Tango Cainne. Frank, a former co-worker in real life, started EVE at my suggestion a few months back. He has grown quickly as a Gallentean pilot, handling the Thorax class cruiser, and his new obsession, the Helios covert-ops frigate, with almost terrifying efficiency. The first time I took him as a wingman he scored a kill against an aggressive Arbitrator cruiser. His barely equipped Myrmiddon Battlecruiser fought of a squadron of interceptors, with years of experience to his mere months.
As prospects grow dim on our ISK making endeavours, we have both taken to patrolling and exploiting a few, lower security systems near our militia staging-grounds, the Villore system. Oulley, the low-security system I've mentioned before (where I crushed a destroyer), is where I've been patrolling as of late.
Our efforts have been relatively fruitless so far. We attempted to track down a Thorax, running a mission given to her by a Gallente agent of some sort. Frank's Helios deployed a scanning probe in an attempt to locate our prey, but the would-be victim was just out of range. In the meantime, a hostile roaming party came through the system. Fielding several battleships (Dominx and Megathron classes), an interceptor and a combat recon (Curse), I soon picked up newly formed wreckage from bystanders as they moved through.
Eventually, our target left, and the roamers eventually attempted to locate me. I was able to stay hidden between planets, moving from random point to random point until they simply gave up and move along.
Yesterday, I finally caught a careless cargo hauler moving through the system. Carrying only a modest load of minerals, the assault was hardly worth the lowered security rating given to me by Concord (the police agency of New Eden). I start to wonder if I'm doomed to flounder about in this society, grinding out an existence scavening the remains of those careless enough to be caught by the LH-S Malevolence and his unseen partner.
Surely I deserve a better future, former combat pilot of a powerful alliance. However, that certainty was annihalted as the juggernaught known as GoonSwarm lay waste to our defenses, taking advantage of the poor core leadership we had always begrudgingly accepted. Now, my corporation is barely operating within Gallente space, far from the [player-controlled] outlands of Geminate that was the graveyard of Alliances, and final resting space of my former alliance.
Who knows what tomorrow may bring. I have powerful agents I can do work for in order to earn an income. I hate working for those too full of themselves with their important positions, and I hate even more working for their [npc-controlled] Gallente Federation. However, we all do what we must, and the only alternative is attempting to go on my own to find a new niche, a new alliance or corporation to work with, or fading into obscurity as a small-time pirate.
The story is about the crew of a Soviet space station, Kosmograd, the slowly collapsing American influence, and ultimately the conversion of space into a true frontier. It contains the elements of cyberpunk; a dystopian world with high technology, where information and control are foci.
I'll elaborate more on this later, as I only just finished reading it, and move on to the adventures in EVE.
The slow decline of my corporation has finally become apparent as yet another familiar face has left the group. I wonder when I personally should start seeking a new home. We all keep in contact with our own communications channel (colloquially: a chat room), so any worries of being alienated are fading.
They are still, however present. There is no surer route to destruction than abandoning friends in New Eden. Trust is a commodity in this violent and cruel society, and attempting to go on one's own is a fast trip to destruction. Pirates, roaming paramilitary forces, con artists, imperial militias, even random pod pilots bored, just looking to shoot something: all are threats.
So I make good use of the friendship I have in the pilot Tango Cainne. Frank, a former co-worker in real life, started EVE at my suggestion a few months back. He has grown quickly as a Gallentean pilot, handling the Thorax class cruiser, and his new obsession, the Helios covert-ops frigate, with almost terrifying efficiency. The first time I took him as a wingman he scored a kill against an aggressive Arbitrator cruiser. His barely equipped Myrmiddon Battlecruiser fought of a squadron of interceptors, with years of experience to his mere months.
As prospects grow dim on our ISK making endeavours, we have both taken to patrolling and exploiting a few, lower security systems near our militia staging-grounds, the Villore system. Oulley, the low-security system I've mentioned before (where I crushed a destroyer), is where I've been patrolling as of late.
Our efforts have been relatively fruitless so far. We attempted to track down a Thorax, running a mission given to her by a Gallente agent of some sort. Frank's Helios deployed a scanning probe in an attempt to locate our prey, but the would-be victim was just out of range. In the meantime, a hostile roaming party came through the system. Fielding several battleships (Dominx and Megathron classes), an interceptor and a combat recon (Curse), I soon picked up newly formed wreckage from bystanders as they moved through.
Eventually, our target left, and the roamers eventually attempted to locate me. I was able to stay hidden between planets, moving from random point to random point until they simply gave up and move along.
Yesterday, I finally caught a careless cargo hauler moving through the system. Carrying only a modest load of minerals, the assault was hardly worth the lowered security rating given to me by Concord (the police agency of New Eden). I start to wonder if I'm doomed to flounder about in this society, grinding out an existence scavening the remains of those careless enough to be caught by the LH-S Malevolence and his unseen partner.
Surely I deserve a better future, former combat pilot of a powerful alliance. However, that certainty was annihalted as the juggernaught known as GoonSwarm lay waste to our defenses, taking advantage of the poor core leadership we had always begrudgingly accepted. Now, my corporation is barely operating within Gallente space, far from the [player-controlled] outlands of Geminate that was the graveyard of Alliances, and final resting space of my former alliance.
Who knows what tomorrow may bring. I have powerful agents I can do work for in order to earn an income. I hate working for those too full of themselves with their important positions, and I hate even more working for their [npc-controlled] Gallente Federation. However, we all do what we must, and the only alternative is attempting to go on my own to find a new niche, a new alliance or corporation to work with, or fading into obscurity as a small-time pirate.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Cyborg's of New Eden - The Pod Pilot
Khamal Jolstien, Pod Pilot of New Eden, is in effect an immortal demi-god. Not a god by usual standards, he is very much a physical being, able to be seen, touched, heard. But when he is immersed in the gelatinous substance that fills his space capsule, he is instantly transformed into master and commander of his vessel.
More importantly, he is invulnerable to death in the traditional sense. Cloning technology has advanced to the point where his entire mind is transported into the new body the moment there is a fracture in the capsule. His old body destroyed, he awakens far away in a cloning bay at an orbiting space station. His ship, crew and all destroyed, yet he will continue.
Pod Pilot's in New Eden are revered, admired, and feared. The nature of their work, the disposability of their crew and the crews of ships they destroy makes them apathetic, completely indifferent to death. It is not of their concern, it can't be in order to maintain sanity. Completely immeresed in the protective goo of their pods, they are at once blind, and all seeing. They're electronically interfaced with their ship, their thoughts driving the vessel, or commanding others to take action on board the vessel.
Completely part of their machine, these gods are cyborgs. Implants allow these people to connect with the Pod, and some of them even use extra cranial implants to enhance their already considerable abilities. Implants can increase mental capacities to speed learning, they can enhance responsiveness to certain aspects of the ship, increasing speed, automated repair, and agility.
In many ways, these gods can determine who lives and who dies on the battlefield. This week, fellow pilot Tango Cainne (a friend, Frank, from work) delved into the complex world that is the covert ops vessel. The Helios class vessel, covert ops frigate from the Gallente Federation's navy, is able to provide information on an area without being seen, and that's precisely what he did.
A lone destroyer, a Catalyst (another Gallente Federation ship), was picking through wreckage off of a stargate into the Osmeden system. Cainne's Helios was nearby, reporting on the target's location. In a few moments I emerged from the stargate in my Cerberus, the LH-S Malevolence.
The target, only 15 kilometers away, didn't stand a chance. My heavy assault cruiser's five heavy missiles destroyed the shields on the first volley, and another two volleys removed the armor. In about thirty seconds, the destroyer was reduced to the wreckage it was investigating only moments before.
Its pilot was safe in her capsule, floating in space while the crew were all killed in the explosion. She, being a pod pilot herself, cared more about the ship's destruction than the unknown crew in her charge.
This is typical of a pod pilot. Pod pilots in the EVE-Online canon, and the adroids of Philip K. Dick, and other popular authors all have the same, lack of empathy and regard for life other than their own. I have wondered what similarities exist between the two.
Both are machine, at least in part. Androids completely so, pod pilot's only partly. Their minds and earlier life are natural, so where does this lack of compassion originate? Perhaps it comes from control. Pod pilots have complete control on whether they live or die. All they need to do is ensure there is a valid clone waiting somewhere. In fact, if they fail at this, they're given a cheaper, less effective clone to ensure they're not lost completely.
Androids know their lifespan almost do the day. Philip K. Dick's androids do anyway. They know they are but machine, of little consequence. They live for four years until they wear out. I believe that in both cases, there is a certainty to the lives of these apathetic beings. Humans, normal people, are in little control of their lifespans. They can suffer and perish due to things outside of their control. It is this subtle difference that creates empathy, I believe, and it is this potential experience that is lacking in the android and the pod pilot.
More importantly, he is invulnerable to death in the traditional sense. Cloning technology has advanced to the point where his entire mind is transported into the new body the moment there is a fracture in the capsule. His old body destroyed, he awakens far away in a cloning bay at an orbiting space station. His ship, crew and all destroyed, yet he will continue.
Pod Pilot's in New Eden are revered, admired, and feared. The nature of their work, the disposability of their crew and the crews of ships they destroy makes them apathetic, completely indifferent to death. It is not of their concern, it can't be in order to maintain sanity. Completely immeresed in the protective goo of their pods, they are at once blind, and all seeing. They're electronically interfaced with their ship, their thoughts driving the vessel, or commanding others to take action on board the vessel.
Completely part of their machine, these gods are cyborgs. Implants allow these people to connect with the Pod, and some of them even use extra cranial implants to enhance their already considerable abilities. Implants can increase mental capacities to speed learning, they can enhance responsiveness to certain aspects of the ship, increasing speed, automated repair, and agility.
In many ways, these gods can determine who lives and who dies on the battlefield. This week, fellow pilot Tango Cainne (a friend, Frank, from work) delved into the complex world that is the covert ops vessel. The Helios class vessel, covert ops frigate from the Gallente Federation's navy, is able to provide information on an area without being seen, and that's precisely what he did.
A lone destroyer, a Catalyst (another Gallente Federation ship), was picking through wreckage off of a stargate into the Osmeden system. Cainne's Helios was nearby, reporting on the target's location. In a few moments I emerged from the stargate in my Cerberus, the LH-S Malevolence.
The target, only 15 kilometers away, didn't stand a chance. My heavy assault cruiser's five heavy missiles destroyed the shields on the first volley, and another two volleys removed the armor. In about thirty seconds, the destroyer was reduced to the wreckage it was investigating only moments before.
Its pilot was safe in her capsule, floating in space while the crew were all killed in the explosion. She, being a pod pilot herself, cared more about the ship's destruction than the unknown crew in her charge.
This is typical of a pod pilot. Pod pilots in the EVE-Online canon, and the adroids of Philip K. Dick, and other popular authors all have the same, lack of empathy and regard for life other than their own. I have wondered what similarities exist between the two.
Both are machine, at least in part. Androids completely so, pod pilot's only partly. Their minds and earlier life are natural, so where does this lack of compassion originate? Perhaps it comes from control. Pod pilots have complete control on whether they live or die. All they need to do is ensure there is a valid clone waiting somewhere. In fact, if they fail at this, they're given a cheaper, less effective clone to ensure they're not lost completely.
Androids know their lifespan almost do the day. Philip K. Dick's androids do anyway. They know they are but machine, of little consequence. They live for four years until they wear out. I believe that in both cases, there is a certainty to the lives of these apathetic beings. Humans, normal people, are in little control of their lifespans. They can suffer and perish due to things outside of their control. It is this subtle difference that creates empathy, I believe, and it is this potential experience that is lacking in the android and the pod pilot.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
First!
Well, just opened this thing last week, and I kinda figured it would be beneficial to actually use it (plus I've been bored), so here goes.
I've been active in EVE-Online for almost two years now. I've gotten into some pretty interesting shenanigans; invading enemy territory, patrolling my own, piracy, thievery, defense, entrepreneurship and a few other activities I'm sure I've forgotten.
Lately, I've been involved in Faction Warfare, a feature that demonstrates the newly declared war between the four Empires of New Eden (the galaxy EVE Online takes place in). It's not as brutal as the total war waged out on the fringe systems, but times have been interesting.
I'm an Electronic Warfare pilot these days. I fly in a Falcon, an advanced cruiser with state-of-the-art electronics, jamming equipment, cloaking device and surveillance equipment. My particular ship, which I've named the LH-S Omniscience, fields an impressive 7 Multispectral Jammers, capable of rendering useless several enemy ships at once.
My niche is one of many available to pilots of New Eden. I've flown in an intercepting role, damage dealing, exploration and scouting for a fleet, stealth and espionage, and even flown a stealth bomber. I enjoy the Electronic Warfare portion of the game more than these however, because I am able to effectively remove several enemies from the fight with my jamming, thereby protecting my wingmen.
-----------------------
I get myself into trouble every now and again in EVE. Wandering into enemy territory with some friends, or alone, usually leads to a fight. Other players are fiercely defensive of their space, and will react with overwhelming force almost every time. Hit and run attacks are the norm these days for such incursions, and my ability to jam targets enhances our survivability in case we're not quite running yet when reinforcements arrive.
On one such occasion, we were attacked shortly after we destroyed an enemy mining vessel. Several cruiser-class ships dropped out of warp almost on top of our small wing. In an instant they were on one of our ships, a hapless cruiser-class vessel known as a Caracal. Fortunately, I was sitting cloaked nearly 100 kilometers away in the Omniscience. I was able to jam the targetting systems of the attackers just in time to let our cruiser get away, and even destroying one of the attackers in the process.
-----------------------
Unfortunately, I hadn't had much time to play this week, so this is the only real action to post. I let this story sit for a bit, hoping for something else to add, but oh well. Next week I plan to take a small hunter-killer party out to track down industrial ships, mining, and hostile patrols.
I've been active in EVE-Online for almost two years now. I've gotten into some pretty interesting shenanigans; invading enemy territory, patrolling my own, piracy, thievery, defense, entrepreneurship and a few other activities I'm sure I've forgotten.
Lately, I've been involved in Faction Warfare, a feature that demonstrates the newly declared war between the four Empires of New Eden (the galaxy EVE Online takes place in). It's not as brutal as the total war waged out on the fringe systems, but times have been interesting.
I'm an Electronic Warfare pilot these days. I fly in a Falcon, an advanced cruiser with state-of-the-art electronics, jamming equipment, cloaking device and surveillance equipment. My particular ship, which I've named the LH-S Omniscience, fields an impressive 7 Multispectral Jammers, capable of rendering useless several enemy ships at once.
My niche is one of many available to pilots of New Eden. I've flown in an intercepting role, damage dealing, exploration and scouting for a fleet, stealth and espionage, and even flown a stealth bomber. I enjoy the Electronic Warfare portion of the game more than these however, because I am able to effectively remove several enemies from the fight with my jamming, thereby protecting my wingmen.
-----------------------
I get myself into trouble every now and again in EVE. Wandering into enemy territory with some friends, or alone, usually leads to a fight. Other players are fiercely defensive of their space, and will react with overwhelming force almost every time. Hit and run attacks are the norm these days for such incursions, and my ability to jam targets enhances our survivability in case we're not quite running yet when reinforcements arrive.
On one such occasion, we were attacked shortly after we destroyed an enemy mining vessel. Several cruiser-class ships dropped out of warp almost on top of our small wing. In an instant they were on one of our ships, a hapless cruiser-class vessel known as a Caracal. Fortunately, I was sitting cloaked nearly 100 kilometers away in the Omniscience. I was able to jam the targetting systems of the attackers just in time to let our cruiser get away, and even destroying one of the attackers in the process.
-----------------------
Unfortunately, I hadn't had much time to play this week, so this is the only real action to post. I let this story sit for a bit, hoping for something else to add, but oh well. Next week I plan to take a small hunter-killer party out to track down industrial ships, mining, and hostile patrols.
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