Lai Dai Grind is Over!

My goal to have access to all the Lai Dai research agents is now done. My last task will be to update all my research agents with the new and improved ones I now have access to. Then I can sell or use the accumulated data cores they have been farming for me.

My next goal is to gain enough Caldari rep to put the POS back up, in my Gallente space era I shot up many Caldari, they did not like me for a very long time.

Caldari State status of 7.0 would be the ultimate goal but 5.0 is a good start.

Invention (Thanks to Bobfish66)

The third information blog, quite delayed but better late than never hey?

This is from a blog by an in game character known to me and some others as Bobfish.

It is dated July 13, 2008 but everything here is useful in our current day and age.

http://newedenpress.wordpress.com/

Rather than re-invent the wheel lets use COPY and PASTE! :-)

----------------

Invention

Overview

Close knit industrial and science corporations have long held the keys to production in the high tech fields until recently. With the release of high performance data interfaces and technical data sheets the once thoroughly controlled market of high tech goods has been opened to scientists and industrial pilots across New Eden. What is this new and astounding science, why none other than Invention.

Requirements

Skills

Invention requires dedication and no small amount of luck as there are varying factors to the success of any one particular science job. The basic skills required for Invention are ;

Engineering 2

Electronics 2

Science 5

Electronic Upgrades 5

Hacking 2

Gallente Encryption Methods 1 (Caldari, Amarr and Minmatar Encryptions are also available)

The above is the encryption skill which is relevant to all of a single races inventions. The ones below are two science skills relevant to the example invention we shall be performing. The italicized skills are ones that directly affect the chance of success and higher training is always recommended in these fields.

Mechanic 5

Science 5

Mechanical Engineering 1

Science 5

Electronics 5

Electronic Engineering 1

With those skills a pilot could then utilize the components required of invention jobs to attempt to output an advanced blue print copy.

Data Interfaces

The components required vary for each of the races just like the encryption skills do. So for reference here are each of the four race data interfaces ;

Incognito (Gallente)

Esoteric (Caldari)

Cryptic (Minmatar)

Occult (Amarr)

And the three types of interface that allow you to work with the complex formulas that are part of this new science are ;

Data Interface – This piece of hardware allows the user to retrieve module data on which ever race it is associated with. Through the use of this interface (which is reusable and only required to start the invention) the scientist can hope to gain the vital information required to piece together a more advanced blueprint from the data of a simpler design, more on that later.

Tuner Data Interface – This allows access to the data on ship rigging and allows inventions in that field.

Ship Data Interface – The final type allows access to that races ship data and allows ship invention jobs.

Datacores

Another element is the datacores. These hold a small but relevant portion of the accumulated knowledge of its field. Through the use of these and the data interface, a user can hope to draw the required data from the cores and produce a more advanced version of the current copy they are working from.

The datacores themselves are available in several ways and the R&D agent method is mentioned in additional techniques.

For our example we will be using a set of mechanical engineering datacores and electronic engineering datacores.

Blueprint Copy

The final element required in the invention process is a blueprint copy. An important detail of the copy is the number of production runs which for modules, drones and rigs should always be maximum, the same is not essential for ships which wont output more than a single run on a success without the use of decryptors. Many of the original copy runs are lost in the upgrade process with a base value output for each item type being so ;

Modules : 10

Ammo : 10 (which equals 1,000 rounds of ammunition) – This one I cannot confirm.

Drones : 10

Rigs : 10

Ships : 1

Process

Check list

Ok before we start working through the process of installing an invention job lets quickly step through the list of items we will need again ;

1 x Blueprint Copy of Hammerhead I (maximum runs, 0 ME / 0 PE)

2 x Mechanical Engineering datacores

2 x Electronic Engineering datacores

1 x Incognito Data Interface

Initiating

Assuming you have found an appropriate station (here we shall use the Algogille based headquarters of New Eden Press) that can install and process the invention job ; first select your blueprint copy, open options with a right click (default setting) and select invention from the list displayed.

Eve Invention Screen

The science and industry interface is pretty simple to navigate, select an open invention slot on the bottom list (figure 1) and select install job in the bottom right of the window. With the new window several options are available ; for the basic test run we wont use a base item or decryptor but these elements are covered in additional techniques.

Several options are present, we’ve already selected the location and the hangar floor is selected for us regards input / output so all we have to do is accept. Of note is the final option “Output Type” which allows you to select which variation of the original item you would like to try for, this is often only available for ships that sometimes have multiple designs on a single hull ; for instance the Thorax hull has both the Deimos and Phobos designs based on it.

Output

(Several cups of tea and a choc chip muffin later) So the little light has gone green on the project by now, select it and deliver the project. Assuming good fortune you should now have a hammerhead II blueprint copy with 10 runs on it, this will be at -4 ME (Material Efficiency) and -4 PE (Production Efficiency) but you have succeeded at your first invention. You can now proceed to produce the items or perhaps simply sell off your newly acquired bpc.

In the following section “Additional Techniques” I will discuss the use of varying the output, how to gather datacores without resorting to the market and reference the different corporations of New Eden that have R&D departments that you can work with.

Additional Techniques

Decryptors

Decryptors allow the inventor to vary the outcome of the project in several different ways including a higher run count, better production or material efficiency and even a higher chance of success. The different decryptors and their effects are displayed below grouped by race.

Amarr

Name	Chance	ME	PE	Runs
War Strategon	1.8	-1	2	4
Classic Doctrine	1.2	2	5	1
Formation Layout	1.1	3	3	0
Sacred Manifesto	1.0	1	4	2
Circular Logic	0.6	-2	1	9

Caldari

Name	Chance	ME	PE	Runs
Installation Guide	1.8	-1	2	4
Prototype Diagram	1.2	2	5	1
Tuning Instructions	1.1	3	3	0
User Manual	1.0	1	4	2
Alignment Chart	0.6	-2	1	9

Gallente

Name	Chance	ME	PE	Runs
Stolen Formulas	1.8	-1	2	4
Test Reports	1.2	2	5	1
Collision Measurements	1.1	3	3	0
Engagement Plan	1.0	1	4	2
Symbiotic Figures	0.6	-2	1	9

Minmatar

Name	Chance	ME	PE	Runs
Assembly Instructions	1.8	-1	2	4
Advanced Theories	1.2	2	5	1
Calibration Data	1.1	3	3	0
Operation Handbook	1.0	1	4	2
Circuitry Schematics	0.6	-2	1	9

Decryptors offer a series of benefits and some offset this with hindrances but what should be clarified now is that the additional runs displayed on the tables are a set output. What this means is if your original output was 10 runs (as in our hammerhead bpc) then it is increased by the number shown on the table and not factored into the equation for how many runs you would get out (This is why you should always use a max run bpc on anything but ships). A better example would be a ship blueprint copy output which always output at a value of 1 and are then improved by the decryptor afterwards.

Decryptors have varying usefulness depending on the choice of invention, on ships they can offer an advantage in both improving the odds of success and also keeping the cost of production down. The same cannot be said for all modules, rigs and ammos which, unless the decryptor was obtained freely via exploration, can eat heavily into your profit margin.

Meta Items

Meta items can increase the odds of success on inventions and are only used in module invention. The reason they aren’t, or shouldn’t be, used in ship, rig and ammo invention is the level of the meta item directly affects the chance increase. Meta item 0 and 1 items have no effect on the formula so are next to useless and only eat into profits and provide no benefit.

Meta item levels 2-4 are usable in invention and since these items can only be bought on the market or looted from enemy kills (from patrolling or during missions for example) they can provide a useful boost to invention chance but only really if acquired without cost.

Research and Development Agents

The final part to this guide is Research and Development agents, here I’ll list the various corporations you can use to gain the datacores you will use in invention. Firstly the corporations available to you are (grouped via faction) ;

Gallente

Duvolle Laboratories

Roden Shipyards

Creodron

Minmatar

Boundless Creation

Core Complexion Inc.

Caldari

Lai Dai Corporation

Ishukone Corporation

Kaalakiota Corporation

Amarr

Viziam

Carthum Conglomerate

-

I will later (in an update) define which corps cover which sciences but not at the moment. The corporations listed all have R&D personnel who you can work for using the science skill associated with the datacore that you want. If you have geared towards invention as above then gaining R&D agents is as simple as gaining the necessary reputation as you will likely already have the skill.

To maximise the gain from an R&D agent the skill level of the science your after and effective standing are the two key attributes to raise, the level of the agent also has a dramatic impact as with normal agents. You can also run the daily (approx every 20-24 hours) R&D mission which normally involves the acquiring of tritanium (due to a budget shortage) or a simple courier mission (because your agent clearly has never moved beyond the lab kitchen). These double your RP gain for that day and help towards gaining additional datacores.

One final skill that will help with R&D agents is the “Research Project Management” which allows you to run multiple agents. Stopping a research project will cancel all RP gained so make sure to use it all before moving agents if you find you need to do so.

Conclusion

This is a really brief guide that tries to cover a bit of every base associated with Invention, feel free to comment so I can improve the article and I hope this guide helps you into the invention process in New Eden.

Links

Various sources were used for reference including my own invention experience ;

http://games.chruker.dk/eve_online/default.php ; a great resource for all things EvE and a calculator for invention chance.

http://www.eve-production.org/invention/guide.html ; Used for decryptor name references and a useful first guide for most inventors.

The Violation of my Viator

So I've had my Viator for a few days, it is a fantastic little freighter, agile with a good warp speed. I've been missioning for a level 4 agent in The Forge who has been sending me into low sec from time to time to deliver or pickup goods. Typically I've been making the low sec runs during my night time due to the lower level of folks in the low sec areas.

So this time I have a delivery mission a couple of jumps into low sec, the agent would like me to deliver about 6000m3 worth of goods, no worries. I jump the high sec portion of the journey with no problems, enter the low sec and proceed to the target system. Upon entering the target system I notice a guy in local who has a red tag or skull, not unusual for this part of the universe. I warp to dock with the mission drop off station but as I approach I see this guy sitting at the exit point of the station in a Muninn next to a Pod.

Hmmm this may become interesting.

So I chat with my agent, complete the mission, he's happy, promises me his sister, I tell him I'll add her to the pile, the usual stuff. Then I start thinking about leaving the station.

Here comes the first mistake. To carry the 6000m3 to the target station I fitted 2 cargo expanders which upon undocking I did not unfit. So outside the station the Muninn starts targeting my Viator and begins shooting. No worries I'll just warp away and that will be that, except I'm also warp scrambled, uh oh. So I redock with the station and only managed to take about half shield damage.

Then I remembered to fit the two warp core units in my cargo hold in place of the cargo expanders. Ha! This will bugger him, I'll undock and warp away singing a happy tune.

I undock, I align to warp, he targets me and starts shooting again. I'm warp scrambled again! He also does some more damage this time, perhaps he moved to optimal range with his autocannons. I redock with the station once more.

The vast interior of the station echoes to my curses of low sec, Muninn's and warp core units.

I have about 15 minutes to DT and I would like to leave low sec before it arrives, thinking, thinking, thinking.....hey where did he go?

He's not in local anymore, time to go! Undocking, though while undocking I start wondering if it is a trap, oh well, I get outside the station and warp away. Woohoo! I enter the next system, only one more jump until high sec, and my station camping friend and some more of his red buddies are showing in local, but not around the jump gate. Warping! The destination gate appears, nobody in sight and the ship warps through. I'm in high sec and only two jumps from my temporary home.

My Viator survives for another day.

Research (Reapers Blog)

This was originally posted on the Reapers blog on the 7th of February 2009.
http://www.eve-reapers.com/blog/

Since the previous response was so positive I have decided after the single letter I received and numerous sunsets we talk about research.

Research is a licence to print money.

The short description is as follows. You talk to a research (R&D) agent, that agent does research for you in his/her own time, no further interaction is required if you so choose. The research agent may ask you to help them with a short mission, you can totally ignore this and the agent will not bother you again. If you choose to do the mission you will receive double Research Points (RP) for that day. Each day your RP’s accumulate, with high training you could have 6 agents on the go at the same time, you could easily have 4 with medium training.

Each 50 RP (this is not quite correct, some data cores cost more RP than 50, Yosagi) that you accumulate with that agent, you can purchase from that agent something called a Datacore. Be aware you must purchase the datacores before you cancel the agent, if you cancel the agent the datacores will be lost. When you purchase the datacores all it does is convert the RP’s into datacores, no ISK changes hands.

The Datacore is the “Money for Nothing” (1985 “Brothers in Arms” - Dire Straits).

Many datacores exist, an example would be Datacore - Rocket Science, use the term datacore to search for others in game as typing them all out is tedious, really tedious.

The datacores can be used during the invention process, generally the more advanced the object you wish to try and invent the more datacores will be required. As the invention process is less than 100% successful, about 35% from my attempts, many datacores will be required if invention is your thing.

However you can also just sell the datacores, they can be worth from 200k-400k per datacore, multiple agents increase your ISK.

How do I make this magic money?

Train Science and Mechanic to V, also train the skill for the datacore you wish to produce (eg. Science > Rocket Science, etc). If you are making datacores for ISK then search the market for the one that sells for the most and research that skill, the higher you research it the more RP the agent will give you. If you need the datacores for Invention you can train to produce the datacores you require or just produce the ones that give you the most ISK and then purchase the datacores you need from your favourite trade hub (Jita, Dodixie, etc).

Then you need to find an agent you can help you with the R&D.

Using the internet, out of game visit http://eve-agents.com (also http://omg.la/bs/ for some other Eve Online resources)

Check out the various switches here but take special notice of Region, Corporation and Research Skill. This will take some trial and error but you will find an agent close by who can help you. The bad news is you will also need the reputation with that corporation and agent to use them.

Once this is sorted out you have free ISK, well it’s free after quite a bit of training time and cost, but then it is free! Sorta…

Yosagi Yojimbo

Yojimbo Heavy Industries

Manufacturing (Reapers Blog)

This was originally posted on the Reapers blog, on the 27th of December 2008.
http://www.eve-reapers.com/blog/

Manufacturing – Why, Where, How.

Why

Manufacturing can be a worthwhile profession in Eve Online.

This is actually true, assuming you put the training and research into the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed and make a profit if you are so inclined.

However, before you start looking at skills and training time I would suggest you take a moment and think about what goals you are trying to achieve with your manufacturing adventure. For without clear goals your success is certainly not guaranteed. If you decide to manufacture for your own personal use then the training requirements are lower, should you decide to manufacture for profit then you will be going against many players who have been doing it longer than you and are better at it, probably.

Waste is insidious and is your enemy!

When manufacturing items waste is your biggest concern. Waste costs money and time. Money as you need more materials to make up for the waste and time as those more materials take more time to gather.

Preparation

Training Production Efficiency to V will reduce one part of your waste to zero. You could train it to only IV for personal manufacturing but V should be your goal. Your personal reputation with the faction at your favourite NPC station also has a bearing on your waste level, both in manufacturing and mineral processing, get the reputation above 6.5 and this problem will go away.

Train all the ores you wish to process to V, this will reduce waste in the processing cycle. To do this will also require training Industry to I, Refining to IV (also reduces refining waste across the spectrum of ores), and, Science to III. Obviously training those skills to higher levels will help you in the long run with other pursuits. Science is required to V for example for Research and Invention which will be covered at a future date.

You will become intimately entwined with your favourite spreadsheet package.

It has been said to me that Eve Online is a game of spreadsheets, for much of the game this is just another example of misinformed rubbish, however with manufacturing there is some truth to it. Create in your spreadsheet a list of the minerals you will use and their costs. Also create sections for the items you wish to manufacture. For example I have a spreadsheet which shows me the costs of manufacture for the goods I make, typically Hybrid and Projectile Ammunition, and various ships. So I have a formula to show me the build cost, the profit based on what I think is the local average sell price and the percentage profit I would expect to make. These figures give me a good benchmark to build and sell items in Eve Online.

Where

When you were thinking about what the manufacturing goal was before you would have, or should have, a clear idea of the item you wish to make and also the reasons as to why it is required. Have a look at the market, ask yourself if the item can be bought cheaply somewhere close (avoid low sec markets for the moment), if so then why should you make the item? This does not mean you should not make the item but asking this question can be a useful check and balance against waste. Possible reasons could be:

• The item is too far away
• I have all these minerals burning a hole in my hanger deck
• I just want to!

Lets have a quick look at each one of these.

The item is too far away. This is probably valid for ammunition which is used constantly, but be careful of waste as this could build up over time into quite a staggering accumulated loss if your training and reputation are not high enough, both of these can be built up during the initial production runs however.

I have all these minerals burning a hole in my hanger deck. Be careful with this one as bulk minerals can lead to haste which can lead to waste which leads you to the dark….errrm wrong space opera. Those minerals are not free you know? The quick and dirty formula I work on is the minerals are worth the best price I can comfortably ship them to for an immediate sale, typically 3 jumps or maybe 6 if I’m feeling particularly masochistic that evening. That is what I cost most manufacturing on.

I just want to! (Subtitled - Who filled up my hanger bay with Cruise Missiles!?!)

Making an item for no good reason is probably not a good idea, certainly if that item is made in bulk. For instance if a bulk quantity of cruise missiles had been made and then we have a missile nerf* the demand for those missiles will reduce in conjunction with their asking price. You could reprocess those missiles back into minerals but once again the waste beast raises its ugly head as you will almost certainly have more waste in the reprocessing process.

*Nerf – An action, either intentional or unintentional by a controlling body that reduces the effectiveness of an item and/or ship that adversely, either real or imagined, impacts on the positive playing style of the subscribers. This is usually measured by the rage of the forums, often with posts being all in capital letters and demanding some sort of response from the aforementioned controlling body.

Nerfs are good for business

They can move a large section of the community away from the tried and tested into the unknown, thus creating an opportunity to capitalise on their disorientation, this effect can be temporary but make some money while you can. However it is tricky to figure out where this money can be made and I would say it is more of an art form than a science.

Cost of manufacturing

The cost of manufacturing the item is the cost of all the minerals that go into the item, including waste (both manufacturing and refining) and the cost of the manufacturing facilities in your local NPC station. Often the costs of the station are negligible but are worth thinking about as in the future the costs of the longer manufacturing jobs will start adding up. Your reputation with the faction in that station can help avoid manufacturing waste, bring it to 6.5 or above. Avoid stations that have a refining efficiency of less than 50% as this will also impact on your waste in a major way.

How

How do I find a station to manufacture at? (Subtitled – Wow! You can’t half talk Yosagi!)

Click on the Science and Industry icon on the left hand side of most Eve Online setups. Then select the Installations tab, change the Activity, Range and Type to suit your requirements. For instance you could have those items set to Manufacturing, Constellation and Public. This should then show a list of available public manufacturing solar systems in the local constellation. I find it easier to fly to the system of interest to check the local refining rate, how available the manufacturing actually is (you can do this by clicking on the listed station without leaving your station if you wish, though I don’t mind flying there to gain a feeling for the local system) and my reputation with the faction at that station. Generally your manufacturing base will be close to your main mining systems to help avoid bulk hauling time so this must be kept in mind also.

To manufacture an item use the Blue Print Original (BPO) or Blue Print Copy (BPC) that you would have obtained earlier. These can be obtained from the market for BPO’s only, the contracts for BPC’s and BPO’s (be wary of scams), or somebody you know. Try and obtain a BPC that has a Material Level (ME) higher than zero, a general rule would be 20-30ME for ships and 150-200 for ammunition/missiles. You will probably also get a Production Level (PE) of more than zero, what this does is reduce the manufacture time thus reducing your station manufacturing cost. Not a big concern but all the costs do add up, ME is much more important if I had to compare the two. Items with a much higher ME or PE will not save you much in the way of materials or time for the items I manufacture. The material use curve is steep downhill. For instance I have a BPO of Tungsten Charge L with a ME of 200, the waste on that BPO is only 0.04% after I researched it from 0 ME and 10% waste (this only took a few days). I could research the BPO some more and remove the 0.04% waste but I feel that is acceptable and I can use the research slots in a better way for other projects. Only a BPO may be researched, a BPC is stuck with the figures it has. Research will be talked about some more in the invention blog which is TBA.

Right click on the blueprint, select Manufacturing, select the Pick Installation button, make sure you have your local station selected. Leave your input/output hanger as the default (my hanger) and select the number of runs (manufacturing runs) that you require. With some training these jobs can be started remotely. Select Ok. If you do not have all the ore required it will show in red, otherwise you can select Accept Quote to commence the build job or close to cancel or change an option. Be wary of short manufacture jobs as the stations time is billed in whole hours, so if your job goes for 15 minutes you will be billed for 60 minutes.

Manufacturing station costs are quite low though. For example the station costs for me to make a Rupture are 1,500 ISK, a Deimos (T2 Cruiser) is 21,000 ISK and 150,000 rounds of Antimatter Charge L is 22,000 ISK approximately. The minerals are over and above the station manufacturing costs of course. I have a 9.75 reputation at this station, your results may differ.

Don’t forget that with ammunition the amount being manufactured is a multiple of your input amount, typically 100, so if I manufacture 1 I will actually receive 100 shells/missiles. Most other items are a single manufacture though.

Well I should draw this to some conclusion, I’m sure I’ve missed some items, I would be happy to read comments and/or in game chat to help improve this article as it will then improve it for us all.

Thank you for your time.

Yosagi Yojimbo - Yojimbo Heavy Industries (YHI)

My Introduction (Reapers Blog)

(This was originally posted on the Reapers blog on the 22nd of December 2008)
http://www.eve-reapers.com/blog/

An Introduction
My in game name is Yosagi Yojimbo. Some of you may recognise that name from a series of graphic novels and computer games from years before.
I came to Eve from another MMO called World of Warcraft, you may have heard of it. I knew about Eve while I was engrossed in Wow but not what Eve entailed. Once I had finished with the Wow grind, after a short break, I checked out Eve. This was in the beginning of August 2007. In short I was blown away by the scope of the game and repeatedly kicked myself for not checking it out sooner.
Since then I have my main character, Yosagi Yojimbo, two accounts and some other characters of no real consequence.
I spent some time with VAFO and Valley Forge which had, and probably still has some fantastic people. However the corporation was directionless and after much soul searching I decided to leave and join the good folks known as the reapers.
In the time that passed my skills grew and with Sanjuro and other characters who have left the game since then, left reapers to form our own corporation. One of our wishes was to raise our own Player Owned Station which with the reputation requirements of the time we could not do while still a member of The Reapers. The goal was to raise the station and form an alliance with reapers and perhaps others to help protect against some of the war declarations that plagued us at the time.
Since then our corporation has shrunk with several members leaving due to real life issues. However we continue with our research and development goals to further ourselves and also the other corps in the alliance.
I am currently specialising in the Gallente ammunition and ships, the Nemesis, Deimos and Eos, are my short term goals for manufacture which will be realised very soon.
Why do I like Eve Online?
I enjoy the space based setting, the fact it is not a virtual clone of so many other games out there at the moment. The ability to change what I am doing in the game from day to day if I wish and still contribute to my characters development in a positive way. The offline training is a big plus also. In short Eve has many features that make it a great game.
This blog entry is mostly a test of the blogging software but also an introduction so you the reader may get to know me better. I am usually happy to help in game with information so if you have any questions you can chat or in game mail me.
I intend the next three serious blogs to be about manufacturing, invention and research and they are coming together at the moment.
Thank you for reading this, or listening if the blogs audio attachment gadget works as I hope it does and I look forward to seeing you in game. (currently not available)
Yosagi Yojimbo - Yojimbo Heavy Industries (YHI)
22nd December 2008