My EVE Online story.
I had been interested in Eve for years before I really dove in. In 2013, I was following Eve news when I heard of the Battle of Asakai and the forming of Brave Newbies. I submitted my app to Brave Newbies a couple weeks after it was formed, and subbed for the first time. It was a blast! I joined just before the move from Hek to Rahadalon. I spent most of my time mining or in standing fleet, chasing people. I remember mining Arkonor in a wormhole, and all the newbies were giddy with excitement. Then someone brought a hauler in, causing the wormhole to close behind us. A short dive quickly became an adventure, with n0rman, now a brave legend, scanning us a way out. Itās stories like this that keep me logging into Eve. After a few months though, life came at me in a big way. I left all my stuff to a friend in Brave, and watched from afar as Brave grew exponentially.
In 2017, I started playing again after watching The Expanse ā and came back to Brave when it was settling back into Catch 2.0. Brave had gone through a lot during my time away. I really wanted to help recapture that feeling I had experienced during the first months of Brave, of everyone helping each other, and I found that through the Brave Dojo. I felt that getting more new players into Eve, and into the fight, was just as satisfying as jumping in fleet myself. It was through this space job for the community that Eve really stuck for me. A year later, I became head of the Dojo, and have worked towards supporting Newbies in and out of Brave. I believe bringing in new blood and helping them understand the initial hurdles of the game makes Brave and Eve Stronger. Iām now a director and leader of the largest corp in the brave collective, Brave Newbies, Inc. In my spare time - I help run the highsec corp in Brave ,Brave Empire, as well. In the past, I also ran Braveās free blueprint program, which has helped countless industrialists get started.
I often volunteer to do the things that need to be done for the newbies or for the alliance. For instance, when The Initiative was pressing Braveās backline during the war, I worked with a few others to evacuate countless Brave and Legacy assets to Querious, and again to the North when PAPI fell apart. (Bridge Heraldry for Titans CCPlz). I feel most accomplished when Iāve served the community as a whole, and thatās what I would do on the CSM.
When Iām not working in the Dojo, Iām exploring the game myself. I like more esoteric areas like gas huffing in nullsec and jedi huffing in wormholes, booster manufacturing, T3 manufacturing, or trying something like nullsec Dread ratting (pre-CRAB). When I understand something that isnāt well documented, I share my knowledge with the community through Dojo videos. I was honored when CCP featured my T3 manufacturing video on the EVE Academy website.
In PVP, Iāve chased kitey ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā in standing fleet, roamed and flown logi, ewar, links or whatever was needed in big fleets. I also led an organized effort to loot 400b during the first weeks of abandoned structures, dropped my Titan in WWB2, as well as both fights of M2-FXE, where I walked away with a ghost titan, and participated in the 2020 Alliance Open.
Here are some links that capture some highlights from my Eve career:
Jammed an Etana in Alliance Open against Frat, leading to victory
Dropped my titan both nights of M2-XFE and later escaping with a ghost titan.
Planned for the loot fest for abandoned structures
A few of my more popular guides
Nullsec Dread Ratting (pre-Surgical Strike and CRABs)
āJediā Huffing
T3 Production
Your areas of expertise. In which areas of the game do you feel you are the most knowledgeable? What qualities set you apart from other candidates?
Iāve run the Brave Dojo for years, and am now leading Brave Newbies Inc. Through the years, Iāve heard the pain points for newbies, and have spent countless hours helping them, running classes, finding more people to help new players, maintaining the Brave Dojo Youtube, surveying them, benchmarking other newbie programs, and working on programs to jump start their career. I also have been a champion for the new players within our alliance, ensuring that Brave always maintains that newbie focus. All of this demonstrates my dedication, patience, and desire to help new players enjoy the game.
These efforts arenāt just for Brave though; I use this knowledge to watch out for newbies across New Eden. For instance, when the mining changes were proposed last year, t1 miners would have had considerable waste. I (and others) provided the feedback to CCP and the CSM that this would marginalize new players, as more experienced players wouldnāt want them to waste expensive moon ore. At the same time, I saw that the storyline Gallente mining lasers would have zero waste, so I bought the universe out of those so we could provide them to newbies and prevent the issue. Luckily this was changed, and t1 now has no waste. (However, Iām still stuck with the gallente lasers. WTS 1000 gallente mining lasers).
The smaller alliances in Eve have a very different experience than coalitions that can solve problems with more supers and titans. Now that Brave Collective is outside the mega-coalitions, I can bring that perspective to the CSM. Other than nullsec with Brave, Iāve spent time daytripping in wormholes, helped lead Brave Collectiveās highsec corp, its wardec counterpart, and dipped my toes into many other facets of EVE.
As an engineer and project manager in my day job, Iām comfortable with numbers and business practices. Iāve used this experience in Eve in industry and markets. Whether its booster production in volatile markets, T3 production, or calculating stacking penalties for resistances - Iām comfortable with numbers. This will come in handy whether weāre reviewing the latest industrial spreadsheets or EVE economics in and out of the game.
I feel this combination of experience of EVE and real life experience makes me more than qualified to represent players new and old to CCP. I also understand that CCP needs revenue as a business, but I believe I can help explain to CCP why selling mining ships, for instance, is bad for both day-one players and 10-year players.
Why are you applying for the CSM?
Iām applying because I like the game, and want to see it thrive. Iāve been a part of the community and putting energy into Brave for years, and I feel that I could use some of that energy to give back to the whole Eve community. I believe the best content in Eve is made by the players, and I want to work with CCP to give us the tools to do more.
This year in particular, with CCP working on the New Player Experience, Career Agents, Skill Plans, and Faction Warfare - itās critical to have CSM members with deep experience working with new players. In addition, past new-player focused candidates are on cool down and I feel I can help fill that void. I will offer my own perspective as a new CSM candidate, and I believe I have the temperament to have an effective working relationship with the rest of the CSM and CCP.
What can players expect from you?
Players can expect the same energy I bring to the rest of this hobby. I will look out for the newbie and the veteran alike. I am consistently available for communication, dedicated to the game, the community, and to increasing the fun/hr of EVE.
Ashterothi Interview: CSM 17 - Jinx De'Caire - YouTube
all that needs to be said