Wednesday, 24 December 2025

End of a year, roll on the next....

Christmas Eve already, hard to believe. That time thing doing that flying again.
 
Waffle inbound, bear with me. 
 
I've spent more time an an unpaid Alpha in Eve Online in the last few weeks than when I paid for the game time. There's not much that CCP has to do to have me 'miffed' at Eve Online or their handling of it's shifting 'business models'. In a lot of ways I wonder if they know themselves; Fomo to lack of fomo to fomo but called something else(balance?); In game and out. For me I'd call it disappointment. Two years of a good thing not to be redone (Yearly sub with 2 times MCT). Which all leads to the recent sales prices which are good by long-term comparisons; But in my view, having a year sub of Omega with x2(times two) MCT to go along with it was my new 'normal'. Hence my disappointment. Did I mention disappointment. CCP consistently inconsistent, dashing hope where-ever they go. I was expecting year three but alas they have changed their minds and from that so have I. CCP does not deserve my cash. If I were unable to potter with characters as Alphas then there would have been a greater 'push' for me to play at some point (like vets who used to know that draw)but as I can I get to potter while not training or paying; Alphas all the way down it is. The recent expansions celebration of 7 days of omega for 10 plex has let me return to 'finalize' characters and catch-up with the new skills, setup mains and alts. So as not to be too 'behind' the curve if/when I get to 'play' the game again as an Omega..... My deep bitter resentment of the second decade's handling is a life long begrudging I'll not be letting go of.... Just adding onto..... While still playing the game down the line..... 
 
Aaaaaaanywaaaaaaaay........  More on Eve Online later.... 
  
 
Steams end of year personalized review is interesting as ever. Seems I'm at the very least above average..... By a lot in some cases..... If only I could add in other launchers(Star Trek Online) and stand alone games to the statistical mix. I'm surprised that Eve Online even showed up!
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Building the Impossible Lightsaber is a great vid.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Subnautica 2 is getting more interesting with it's Voices from Beyond 
But the proof is in the pudding and we'll have to wait and see what it's like in person.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BattleGroup VR2 has an impressive demo , Worth a look if your into space/sci-fi and have VR of course. TheYamiks did an interesting video about it.
 

 
 


 
Speaking of space games, No Mans Sky is again powering on. I may not get back into it properly but it's an interesting journey to watch from afar. More interesting to see it in comparison to other games.
Beginner Tips To Start No Man's Sky in 2025 by Jason Plays is a good start for anyone interested.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Speaking of comparisons another video from TheYamiks has Star Citizen VS Elite Dangerous VS No Man's Sky VS X4 Foundations (2025/2026), worth a look.




 
 
 
Starship Troopers Terran Command - Got a Territory Control Mode...  Which is interesting but a mode I've no real interest in playing. It's new mechanics are difficulty for the sake of it imho. Great if your into the game and still want more, but that's not me.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Plan B: Terraform is another game I lost the 'feel' to play once I was in the game. It happens; But like NMS I do keep up on it's patches and development. Interesting. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
BALL x PIT has been a bit of a new muse for me; I've been enjoying it. Starting off with a hint of a grind but unlocking so much as you go that that grind is quickly gone as a matter of course. 
 
 
Another game about the journey as I've found the end level bosses to be 'easy' enough(jinxed it now). The town build elements are not the worst but I do get why a lot of players are complaining about it. 
 
 
 

 
 



 
 
 
 
Euro Treuck Sim 2 is in the middle of the Winter Event as well as being well on the way with the new DLC event. I'm still waiting for a sale.... Prob in the new year with the event ending....
 
Another game where the updates keep flowing.
 
 
With the Nordic Horizons DLC ande event I really need a sale for the purchase. I've 3 of the DLC's on the wishlist but I'm not so hyped to jump in on full price....
 
 
So with the Winter Event also on I've been doing a few trips to and from the Winter map. Casual and for fun. This years major addition is to include local traffic on the map. Nice to see as it was a bit too empty; Picturesque as it is, it's nice to have a bit more life added in. 
 
 
 
This years trailers are date stamped but the knitted effect to the designs is 'nice'. Trips done, more to do, just taking my time with it all. All about the journey with the Sim/fan run radio stations on.... 


 







 

 
Eve Online.... Where to start... Where to end....
 
The minor patch seemed a bit weird to be promoted.... But O.K. 
CCP trying to hard for crowd pleasing credit. CCP Jog on.
  
  
The name changes for Ores is a real pen pushing, bureaucratic time waster. Weather it's called grade II or Dense ore you still need to go into the ore details to see how much you actually get.... Or learn what it is.... Only now that doesn't really matter as it's all the same volume as it boils down to how you mine, for how long and with what. Crits on Ore etc as you go to see how much you get. Different equation same results(ore in the old). What does that change... For me nothing but for the Min/Maxers out there I'm sure they are all tripping over each and every trit as well as themselves.  
 
But what do I know. 
 

 
 
The new ships do nothing for me either. I'll get to upgrade all my Alpha accounts by adding a T1 mining destroyer(with appropriate spares) instead of Venture's. But looking at the use cases I'd have my main characters in I'll stick to whats already there, such as the Porpoise. Porps are the new Orcas and Orca's seem to be(more than ever) the new Rorq's of Hisec(special and rarely used in the open). Porps pave the way for now(or so it seems to me); Cheap, plentiful and out in open use. Other mining ships are more or less the same and in use with the new destroyers out and about only it seems because they are new. I'm sure with time and market flux calms down, the meta's and use cases will even out.   
 
Besides my general faffing gameplay, actual gameplay on(what I've previously called) my main Alphas has been minimal. While once starter characters they have morphed over time to 'be' clones of my mains. With SP counts to match. One for PvE and the other for everything else(PvP?)..... Evehermit has been doing alt(s) fresh to spice the Eve life. Something I've done more than once. Shutout to him, it's good to read his take on new beginnings. I wonder how long it will take for that new spark to include starting a corp for players he knows or randoms to see what happens(with minimal investments/all about the interactions). Time will tell but for me it's where the next step always goes but always falters. So many new players seek so much 'new' that doing the same things over and over even in groups is 'boring' for them.... Maybe it's a real world age perspective.
 
My actual Main(first of his kind) has been wallowing in Isk and spending like it was going out of fashion. Still with far too much money to burn I've done what I usually do... Backup of a Backup of a Backup in an area I used to be in..... A system that allows all my hearts PvE/Mining/scanning/scouting desires.... It started as only Alpha ships/fits, then over time it's 'just' became Omega ships/fits... One station in system with Industry and the other for Level 4 PvE.... More for Corp based interactions but that went the way of the dodo long ago. So more stuff for the sake of it, just in case(again).
 
I've been dabbling more into the markets, semi serious in some cases and in others I'm sure I've screwed with the 0.1 isk marketeers... Mainly on Mutaplasmids for a while and more recently in small and medium rigs. Ultimately I just had the goal of getting cheaper than market sales items. But getting outbid by 5 players all upping by 0.01 makes me giggle when I top them by 1000.00, forcing them to pay out..... Meaningless to me but get to their core of being. 
Some items are hotly contested, others are watched by the second. It's a form of gameplay alright but if I was going to pay full market price then upping market buy orders at 50% sale price plus 1000 isk isn't much at all(to me); But is irking someone somewhere.... I find that level of anality a bit OTT. Especially as PLEX is awash everywhere with everything sold by CCP. But yet it's funny that my small actions are fking with them. 
 
So anyway my mains offshoot system PvE station has, Personal transport, scanning, PvE and Salvaging ships.....The Epithal was just what I was in at the time of the screenshot. 


On a side note I've also been claiming the Twitch rewards.... Not viewing the channels streams but doing whats needed for the rewards.... Browser behind a browser barely showing.....
 
Back in Jita after noticing I'd way more skills In Trig ships than I'd realized I finished off one ore two more bits and for the heck of it bought a Leshak and T2 Fit..... No officer mods here, yep I did it on the cheap as the thought of paying 600 Mill for one officer mod was 'off-putting'. When will I sit in it and test it out I've no idea.
 
  
 
Screenshots are done as an Alpha so excuse the skill/fit needs etc.... But I think it should be 'fine'(driving all the fit nerd bananas). Each to their own way of 'playing'. 
 
Expensively cheap.... Just the T2 weapon to skill into.....

Eve's player stats The Year in Numbers were interesting but again predictably unpredictable regarding presentation. Aesthetically done better in previous years on a per player bases. I was in a 'don't care' mood for a lot of the stats cos I didn't as I read them. The only thing of slight interest was the undocks by sec space stats.... And even at that it was of  'meh' interest. Than the post was over and a Happy New Year Message...

Well a Happy Christmas to them... I've a feeling next year is going to be CCP sticking a finger in every pie they can, just because and not in good ways.


 
 
 
 

Star Trek Online has been of continued interest.The usual dailies etc. Winter evnet, events in general and a phoenix event on as I type....

 
 FREE T6 SHIP | 2025 Winter Event Breakdown | Star Trek Online
 
 
CasualSAB
  
 
 
  
For any new players doing the event MC Stu had a good video out....
 

Ongoing ongoing as ever..... Fun in doing and being in the universe..... 
 


 
 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Planet Crafter has been my gaming mainstay outside of Eve Online/Star Trek Online pottering.
I've enjoyed it's new DLC planet and it's areas with new mechanics. It's a planet that has it all, like an extreme Planet Humble. I've done the same as Humble and setup a lot of indigenous production and industry to produce, store and export a lot. Once the expansion was 'complete' it's was all down to the usual long term gameplay, just on a new planet. All good in my book. A lot like life in the likes of Minecraft.
 
 
 
That sky reminds me of the OG Quake....
 
The main story of the planet (spoilers) is that it's a penal colony and research outpost. A colony that is the creation of the Planet Crafter program. Very interesting to the overall lore never mind the starting planet for the game and what you find there. 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
Seeing the science research/development is all fan service for the game, cute fun(mini models etc). 
 
 
R&D on the basics of what a Planet Crafter uses, from food to machines. 
 
  
 
  
 
There are more story-lines and lore for the overall game and the DLC planet. All good to see and experience.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Roll on the next? For now it's back to the usual faffing for the sake of it.
 
 
  





 
 
 
Merry Christmas! 
 
 
 
 
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