Hippla: Hey Ambrose Dexter. I had the chance to get to know you as Sydanten Taksikuski, your EVE Uni character and my mentee! Thanks for taking the time to share some of your experience as a recent EVE Uni alumnus with the community. Let’s get started by learning a bit more about who you are and what it is that brought you back to EVE? 

Ambrose: In spring of 2023, I returned to EVE for one reason. There’s simply nothing out there that provides the true sandbox MMORPG experience like EVE does. My first MMORPG was Ultima Online, and at its inception I got hooked on the concept of player-driven economy with full-loot PvP.

Much like EVE, we had to treat gear as ammunition and we had to solve logistical challenges to be able to show up to a fight at a certain location. To get to a “prepared” state, we had to figure out gathering of resources, crafting and transportation. To be efficient at this, we had to specialise and that meant working together with other players who fulfil different roles was absolutely necessary. And once you get involved with other people to achieve larger goals, you unlock the full potential of a sandbox game: emergent gameplay and incredible storylines that you become a part of with those around you.

Now this was a brief summary of my experience in Ultima Online, but as you would replace the name of the game “Ultima Online” with “EVE“, you’ll find that all aspects of my experience correlate to EVE perfectly. This is exactly why I have returned to EVE. 

Hippla: Having played UO back in the wonderful early days of MMOs, I can totally relate. When you recently came back to EVE, why did you decide to join EVE University (again)?

Ambrose: I’ve had a really good experience with E-UNI back when I was active in 2019. At the time, I was introduced to EVE by a somewhat experienced friend and he helped me get to a stage in hi-sec gameplay where I was able to run L4 missions to make ISK, and do the occasional PvP in neighbouring low-sec systems. In time, I realised that my gameplay was mostly limited by my friend’s vision of what can and should be done in this sandbox.

Realising the fact that I hadn’t been introduced to the majority of what EVE has to offer, I looked into joining a corporation but I didn’t feel like I was equipped to judge which corporation was actually good for me. 

Most of my questions regarding in-game mechanics were always answered by the UniWiki, and so I decided to join E-UNI, the people behind this wiki. In E-UNI, I quickly learned the most valuable thing which was “getting to know what I don’t know“. 

Learning about all sorts of different playstyles and career choices removed the “fog of war” and turned “unknown unknowns” into “known unknowns“. The transition from a beginner to an advanced beginner was great because I didn’t feel overwhelmed with EVE anymore and this was essential for my post E-UNI career.

Fast-forward a couple of years, I ended up taking a break from EVE. On my return I was mechanically very rusty and had some outdated knowledge. So joining E-UNI again to get my bearings straight was a no-brainer.

Hippla: That totally makes sense. EVE Uni is without the doubt the best place for returning players to dust off!
Tell us a bit about your time in EVE Uni. What would you recommend new or returning Unistas to make the best of the time in EVE Uni?

Ambrose: My second stint in E-UNI was a bit different than the first one. This time around, I already had the fundamentals. I just needed to learn what had changed in New Eden and get back to flying with Unistas as soon as possible. I moved out to Syndicate right away to join the null-sec base of operations of E-UNI. Coincidentally, I had returned just in time to witness a very busy strat-op schedule due to a neighbouring group attacking E-UNI structures. I ended up spending two months in and around PC9-AY, fighting this group, and in hindsight their presence was a blessing in disguise. Constantly undocking in a hostile environment was the perfect crash course I needed to relearn important mechanics.

My recommendation for new or returning Unistas is to do two things. First, ask tons of questions on Discord and learn about things that you’re curious about (“fittings channel” was my personal favourite). Second, join fleets and go into the fray as soon as possible. Most E-UNI fleets have newbro ship/fit options baked in, and this allows you to be a part of something important without having to deal with decision fatigue of endlessly theorising over “perfect” fits and skills. 

Combining fleet experience with a healthy amount of theory talk in Discord will quickly prepare you for your EVE career. If you skip the practical part, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice because you’ll be missing out on high quality content that is made very accessible to everyone with the hard work of E-UNI staff.

And finally, learn about NPSI (Not Purple Shoot It) groups and give them a try. E-UNI is NPSI friendly, so make the most of it!

Hippla: At one point it’s time for all Unistas to move on. How was the process for you and where did you end up? What lessons would you want to give new players on how to best transition from Unista to EVE Uni Alumnus?

Ambrose: People in E-UNI recognize “moving on” as part of a natural progression, so there’s no need to feel bad about wanting to move on when that time comes. For me, as a returning player, two to three months of very active play in the Uni was enough for me to feel 100% confident. After that point, it was my time to go back to flying higher skillpoint doctrines and being a part of much riskier engagements. If you’re happy to remain a Unista, don’t feel pressured to “graduate”. When the right time comes, you’ll know it.

That’s my answer for “when” to move on, but “where” to move to is a completely different story. I’d definitely recommend planning ahead and talking to other Unistas and Alumni about the groups you are curious about. Choosing the next step proved really difficult for me and so I applied to the mentor program, requesting a mentor who has enough experience to  address the “where to” problem and I was lucky enough to get paired with you, the renowned Hippla Tsero. 🙂

After learning about the current sovereignty landscape in New Eden, and doing a bit of hopping around, I ended up in the South with the Literally Triggered [LTRIG] alliance. The South is a very interesting place to be right now with tons of potential content and a limited amount of blues.  If any of our future readers consider joining the Southern action, they can send an EVE Mail to my main character Ambrose Dexter. I’ll be happy to help and potentially recruit fellow Unistas.

Hippla: EVE is a tremendously complex game – how do people stay engaged? How do they continue learning? And most importantly: How do they continue to find things they enjoy doing in the game?

Ambrose: EVE is a game where you need to have something that’s resembling a plan in order to stay engaged and challenged. You can pursue your own goals, or be a part of a larger entity and contribute to their plans instead. The trick to having fun for me is to always have something to look forward to. Some people find that the planning and theorycrafting portion of EVE can be a source of fun just by itself. But from personal experience, I enjoy EVE much more when I undock frequently and put those plans to the test without waiting for the elusive “perfect moment”. Don’t indefinitely delay the things you want to do.

And to answer the “How do they continue learning” portion of the question, I’d say always keep looking out for new opportunities. If you feel stagnant with where you are in EVE, you have great tools at your disposal to shake your status-quo up. Try NPSI fleets. Try looking into different sections of space, and use Jump Freight services like PushX or FrogFreighting to get over the laziness of moving assets around. And if you want to fly different things, maybe use the skill trading system to potentially pivot your characters. Whatever you do, keep undocking, and keep interacting with others.

Hippla: Thank you so much Sydanten (aka Ambrose)! I decided to call you by the EVE Uni name I got to know you as to wrap things up.

Always a pleasure to catch up with you and happy to hear you are finding a good time in the galactic South East! Hope to see you around in space and fly dangerously 🙂

Interview with Sanctia Vitae, Senior Mentor Officer at EVE University

Hello Sanctia, you are part of one of EVE University’s oldest programs, the Mentor Program. Tell us a bit about your EVE history and how you ended up with EVE University.

Hello! Thank you for having me. I began playing EVE back in late-2008. I made a character just to get into the game and explore what my cousin was so involved in. Things were quite different back then, and I wasn’t really grasping the concepts of gameplay, let alone actually flourishing. My cousin had invited me into his corp, a fairly small group of miners and industrialists. They were very nice, friendly, and knowledgeable people for sure, but they weren’t really set up, equipped, or skilled in coaching a complete newbie like myself. I ended up dropping out of the game from a lack of interest and focus.

In mid-2009, my curiosity of the game began to grow again and I renewed my subscription. This time, I made a new character and decided to explore things on my own, from scratch. I flew around casually, picking up missions here and there, and just poking my nose into what I could. It didn’t take long until I realized that I, again, had no idea what I was doing and needed help in order to move forward. Whenever I saw anyone asking for a good corp or for help with figuring things out, the same recommendation kept popping up: EVE University. I thought, “sure, why not?” and applied.

Before I knew it, not only was I a student participating in the grand pilgrimage of moving my things to Uni space (Aldrat at the time), I was participating in classes, fleets, and even found myself a Mentor. I kept learning, trained skills to better perform in missions and support for war fleets (ECM 4 life), and worked my way up to Graduate. I was enjoying my time in the University and socialising with the friends I made. The Uni had provided me with so much; way more than I could have ever hoped to learn in the same time alone. I wanted to give back. Recalling my wonderful experience as a mentee, the choice was obvious. I became a Mentor.

I volunteered with the Mentor Department for nearly a year before eventually moving on to the rest of New Eden, my head held high and spirit strong. Since then, I have been playing on and off. Fast forward to mid-2021, my love of the game pulled me back in full time. My cousin’s old corp had mostly died off; its members either moved on to other ventures or quit entirely. I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t too familiar with all the changes since I last played. Thankfully, I knew of just the corp to help with these sorts of things. And, naturally, once I found my footing I knew what it was I wanted to do: I volunteered as a Mentor once again.

Talking of the Mentor Department, what does the Mentor Program mean to you?

The Program offered by the University is a unique one that works in concert with the other education-focused departments. Though each one is equally important, I hold the Mentor Program near and dear to my heart. As I mentioned before, I was a mentee at one point in my EVE career. While I may not remember every detail of every interaction from 14 years ago, I remember how it made me feel–being both a mentee and Mentor–with fondness. I remember being able to ask my Mentor even the simplest-sounding questions without fear of being hassled or teased. I remember the guidance and direction he provided when I felt lost. The connection I had with my Mentor helped to shape the experience I had early on into an overwhelmingly positive one. Really, I could say that the biggest reason I continue to play EVE is because of the Mentor Program.

It sounds like becoming a mentor can be a lot of fun and be very fulfilling. In your eyes, what makes a good mentor and how does one become a mentor?

Naturally, I wanted to pay forward the experience I had. As a Mentor, I strive to provide the same environment that raised me: ensure that my charges feel at home, supported, seen and heard, and free. For all Mentors, I think it is important to remember that you, too, were a new player. Stay flexible. Your new mentee may have started with an interest in abyssals and PvP, but suddenly finds themselves fascinated by something as harmless as wormhole rescue. Then that could change the next week to industry and mining! Let them explore! Let them feel out different avenues of content at their pace, all the while providing support, information, and advice as they need. Additionally, it is a good idea to keep notes on your mentees. We’re human, and it becomes easy for information to bleed over as time goes by. It’s not impossible to unintentionally forget something about one of your quieter mentees in the chaos of a noisier, more active one. I of course say that with all the kindness and love. For any prospective mentees reading: be chaotic! Be loud! It makes things fun for all!

We welcome those with Sophomore and Graduate titles to apply to become a Mentor, although Sophomores may be asked to provide references and additional information in lieu of the Graduate title. You don’t have to be an expert at the game, or any one subject for that matter, but we do ask that you have a decent grasp of the concepts and basics.

I remember when I was a mentee, I found it very difficult to know what questions to ask my mentor. Any advice for new or returning players on what they can ask their mentor and how to best learn about EVE?

The best advice I can offer would be to ask any question that comes to mind! Seriously, there are no dumb questions, except the ones not asked. Not sure how the fitting window works? Ask! Overwhelmed with how the market is structured? Ask! Not sure where to start or what to do? Ask! To answer the question posed to me here, you can ask us what we did when we were learning. Ask us what we do now. Most of us have stories to share, and some of them might inspire you to try something out.

If you do find yourself unsure of how to ask a question, or even what question to ask, just work it out. Think of it like trying to remember a word; while you may have forgotten it, you know what you’re trying to say. Even if you don’t know the exact terminology, using synonyms in a sentence or just talking about what you’re thinking can help your Mentor narrow down the issue.

Another avenue a new or returning player can take on their own is to browse the UniWiki. Literally browse it. Go to a random page or start on a topic you may have already heard about, and let yourself fall down a rabbit hole. Not only will you gain awareness of various subjects, but at least one of them should inspire a question or two.

Lastly, I would recommend patience. EVE is a long-haul game, and there is probably a literal ton of information in and around it. It would be impossible to cover all of it in a week, nevermind being exposed to it in that time.

Interview done by Hippla – August 2023
If you want to become a mentor yourself, head over to the UniWiki – How to become a Mentor.

Part Two of Kohlra’s adventures [RolePlay]

As the day dawned, I embarked on a journey to Amarr, fuelled by the profits gleaned from my ventures in the treacherous realms of low sec. The anticipation coursed through my veins as I soared through the vast expanse of space, thoughts swirling with plans for the future. In the solitude of transit, I turned my attention to Project Discovery, channelling my intellect into unravelling the mysteries of the universe.

Arriving in Amarr, I secured a sleek Omen cruiser, a vessel that would become my faithful companion on this new chapter of my odyssey. With meticulous care, I fitted it with ultraviolet particle streams, weapons of radiant destruction that would illuminate the darkness with their formidable power.

As I embarked on the maiden voyage of my newly acquired cruiser, the Harerget system beckoned, its ethereal glow casting an otherworldly ambiance of green, orange, and a splash of foreboding red. It was here, amidst the celestial canvas of beauty and danger, that I answered the call of the Sisters of Eve.

But fate had a different plan in store for me. Amid my work for the Sisters, the Serpentis Corporation launched a surprise ambush, their squadron of Coreli fighters descending upon me with ruthless precision. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I swiftly activated the afterburners, the engine’s roar echoing in defiance.

With a calculated maneuver, I unleashed the fury of the ultraviolet particle streams, their searing beams lancing through the void with deadly accuracy. The drones, my loyal allies, sprang into action, buzzing around the assailants, their firepower adding to the chaotic dance of destruction.

Amidst the swirling chaos and the blinding flashes of weaponry, I fought with unwavering resolve. Skill and cunning melded into a symphony of survival as I evaded their onslaught, retaliating with every ounce of skill and firepower at my disposal. The clash between the Sisters of Eve and the Serpentis corporation reverberated through the system, a testament to the tenacity of those who dared to challenge the unknown.

Through sheer determination, I emerged from the fray, victorious yet humbled. The Harerget system stood witness to my resilience, bearing the scars of the battle that had unfolded. In that moment, as the echoes of conflict subsided, I was reminded of the ever-present risks that come with charting uncharted territories.

But I would not be deterred. With renewed determination and the taste of victory upon my lips, I set my sights on the next horizon. For in the boundless expanse of New Eden, the unknown awaits, and I, Kohlra Galkaro, am its intrepid explorer, a beacon of resilience amidst the stars.

If you enjoy looking at EVE through the eyes of roleplaying, continue reading and follow Kohlra and Zombie’s adventures through New Eden.

The dimly lit cockpit of my spaceship hummed with anticipation as I glanced over at Zombie, my son and trusted partner in the vast expanse of New Eden. Today marked our first foray into the treacherous realm of Low Sec space in EVE Online, each of us armed with unique skills and a shared determination for adventure.

Just three days ago, we had taken a leap of faith and joined the prestigious Eve University, an organization dedicated to teaching and nurturing aspiring pilots. The decision had opened up a world of opportunities, connecting us with fellow enthusiasts and mentors who shared our insatiable hunger for knowledge and success.

Zombie, with his focused mind and natural talent for mining and harvesting, had embraced the teachings of the university wholeheartedly. He absorbed every piece of information, honing his skills under the guidance of experienced instructors. His progress was remarkable, a testament to his dedication and the resources provided by Eve University.

On the other hand, my passion lay in exploration and espionage. The university had become my haven, a place where I could expand my knowledge, exchange ideas, and learn the art of uncovering secrets hidden within the vastness of New Eden. The camaraderie within the university filled me with a sense of purpose and drove me to push my limits.

Our mission this day was a testament to our newfound education. The universe had unveiled two vast pockets of Viridian Mykoserocin, a rare and highly sought-after gas. It was an opportunity that Eve University had prepared us for, promising immense wealth if we could successfully harvest it.

The first site went smoothly, with Zombie expertly managing the mining operations. His acquired knowledge and the practical experience gained from Eve University shone through in his meticulous calculations and efficient extraction techniques. I marveled at his growth, proud of the pilot he was becoming.

As we approached the second site, the teachings of Eve University echoed in my mind, reminding me to be vigilant and adaptable. The university had instilled within us the importance of adaptability, urging us to stay one step ahead of potential threats.

In the midst of our focused efforts, the tranquility shattered. An unexpected blaring alarm echoed through the ship, a harbinger of imminent peril. I quickly analyzed the situation, drawing upon the knowledge imparted to me during my espionage training.

It became clear that our adversary was no ordinary pilot. They possessed superior firepower and were determined to challenge our mettle. With the experience gained from Eve University, I quickly formulated a plan. I ordered Zombie to retreat, salvaging what he could and ensuring his escape. Meanwhile, I prepared to engage in a game of cunning and deception with our opponent.

The hostile Stratios closed in, its deadly drones tearing through the hull of my ship. But I refused to succumb to despair. The lessons learned within the halls of Eve University propelled me forward, fueling my resolve to outwit my adversary. I employed clever evasive maneuvers, employing the skills taught to me by experienced pilots during my time at the university.

Alas, fate did not favor me that day. My vessel could not withstand the relentless assault, succumbing to the overwhelming power of the enemy’s weapons. Darkness enveloped my senses, and I found myself adrift in the void of unconsciousness.

Hours later, I awoke in a medical bay, my body battered and bruised. As I regained my senses, a sense of gratitude washed over me. The knowledge imparted by Eve University, and the bond forged with my son, had kept him safe from harm.

Through a comm link, Zombie’s voice resonated with determination. He reassured me of his well-being and expressed his gratitude for the lessons learned at Eve University. We knew that this setback was merely a stepping stone on our journey to success.