Eve To Local Time Tool

One annoying task every Eve player faces is having to figure out what the local time will be for some event in Eve. Provided here is a quick, simple tool for converting Eve times to local times.

Enter Eve time in format "yyyy.MM.dd HH:mm"

Eve Time:

Local time:

Confusing Game With Real Life

There have been those who have taken offense in the past in my using analogies to characterize Eve behavior; the roles ones play in Eve.  I am sometimes accused of of getting the game confused with real life over this.  But am I really confusing the game with real life?  Take a look at my previous blog post, and you see I use analogies to things like Borg Drones and Firefly Reavers, clearly neither of which are real life comparisons.  Even if they were from real life, it wouldn't matter, as these are analogies.

Analogy (noun):  a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Furthermore, and most significantly, I am most often discussing character behavior, not the disposition of the real life person behind the character.  So at what point might I actually be saying something about the real life person behind the character?  When is there some crossover into real life as I see it?

First, lets clarify my position on villains versus good guys.  In most games, it doesn't really matter much.  There is usually no loss associated with getting killed by another character.  If I kill your character in Battlefield 1942, you don't lose anything.  You respawn with all the same gear you had before.  But in Eve, there is a real loss, and it takes real in game effort to replace that loss.  This makes the distinction of good guy versus villain far more significant in a game such as Eve. 

 How does this translate into the interactions between characters in Eve?  At first, it might not be apparent that there is much difference between attacking an opposing alliance member who is a known enemy in terrible standing with your alliance, versus attacking a neutral player who happens across your space.  Here's where the analogy can help with clarification.  If two countries are at war, and one uniformed combatant comes across an enemy uniformed combatant, and the first kills the other, who is the villain?  There generally isn't one; it was state sanctioned combat.  Now what if one uniformed combatant comes across a plain clothed person carrying a Playstation, and he then kills that person and takes the Playstation.  Now there is a clear villain in the interaction.

At this point, we are still just talking about what happens in game.  Why does any of this matter?  Here is where real life starts to creep in just a little bit.  If a clear villain attacks without provocation, and that is causing a real loss in terms of game effort to replace that loss, this can cause negative emotions in some players whose characters were the victims.  Now, if they are level headed, they will let it go, as it was just part of the game as it was designed.  But those emotions were still both real and negative, and can drive players away.  And that is why I feel it is better for the entire community if players refrain from playing villains in a game like Eve where losses have significance.  Try to stick to the "state sanctioned combat", as there is still plenty of that to go around and it helps avoid driving people away.

Now that's all still pretty minor.  So where does real life get confused with game in a significant way?  There is only one case I can think of, and it's been at the heart of a lot of the controversy over the last year or more.  When players, often beginning with high-sec ganking, attempt to grief other players.  When this happens, their intent is to anger and/or emotionally hurt the real life player on the other end of a character.  When they are called out for this, they hide behind a shield of "it's only a game".  So I ask you -- who is it really that is confusing game with real life?

What Is NRDS?

NRDS is a philosophical categorization for the behavior of an organization within Eve.  The common categories an organization's philosophical behavior can fall into include:

• NPSI:  Not Purple, Shoot It
• NBSI:  Not Blue, Shoot It
• NRDS:  Not Red, Don't Shoot

Members of such organization can be anywhere, but behavior is tightly controlled by CONCORD within the core high security systems, so it's only out in low security and null security space where this becomes significant.

Eve is the world.  Your organization's sovereign space is your yard.  Your main outpost or station is your home.

NPSI: Nomadic Savages

NPSI means anyone not in your fleet is a valid target to attack.  Such groups are short term and unorganized, having no sovereign space.  They are, by definition, just a fleet.  If you are NPSI, you really can't be anything else, as being NPSI for even a day likely would violate the rules of any NBSI or NRDS organization.  NPSI groups are nomadic savages that attack anything they come across.  Like Reavers in Firefly.

Using the home metaphor, NPSI groups are herds of rabid dogs that occasionally run through your yard looking for anything they can kill.

NBSI: Closed And Aggressive

NBSI means anyone who hasn't been set to good or better standing (set blue) is a valid target to attack.  Unknown visitors are not welcome.  While NBSI groups generally have their own sovereign space, their NBSI rules generally apply across the entire universe; it doesn't matter if an NBSI ship or fleet is out in someone else's space, if they come across someone not set blue, that someone is a valid target to attack.  Arguably like the Borg in Star Trek, or lesser known, perhaps the Krenim Imperium from Star Trek Voyager.

NBSI groups are classic stereotypical backwoods hillbillys.  They have a home and a yard, but if some stranger happens across their yard, they shoot first and ask questions later, if they ask questions at all.

NRDS: Open And Civil

NRDS means only those who have aggressed or have been set as terrible standing are valid targets to attack.  Individuals, corporations, or alliances are set to terrible standing when they have proved themselves as aggressive and in violation of NRDS rules.  Visitors or those previously unknown are safe around those who are NRDS, and may find NRDS pilots to be friendly, but sometimes stern if they have not obtained good standing.  Somewhat like being around the Federation and the late generation Federation-allied Klingons in Star Trek.  Run across a Federation ship, and they generally greet you with a smile.  Run across a Klingon ship, and you may find your encounter less friendly.  But you are still safe so long as you haven't been declared an enemy and you are following the rules.

Visitors to NRDS soverign space should consider themselves safe around NRDS pilots, but are strongly encouraged to obtain good standing so as not to potentially disrupt the activities of others in NRDS space (unfortunately, neutral visitors often turn out to be aggressive, so generally speaking, NRDS folks don't like seeing neutral parties in NRDS space.  Work on getting your standing set blue if you plan on frequent or extended visits into NRDS space).  Even if you consider yourself a neutral visitor, YOU SHOULD VERIFY YOUR NEUTRALITY BEFORE VISITING NRDS SPACE.  You may be considered to be of terrible standing without your knowing it.  For example, if your corporation or alliance have been set to terrible standing, all those members within are also considered to be of terrible standing.  To verify your standing, use a publicly available KOS checker, if they have one, or join a diplomacy channel for the organization to ask, or ask around folks in the NRDS alliance and they should point you in the right direction. 

Non-NRDS pilots and fleets frequently tresspass in NRDS space, so even if you have your standings in order, note that it is not always safe space.  NRDS protectors are often standing by to render assistance should someone be unjustly attacked, but response time isn't instant, and fights often don't last long.  Be wary of pilots with bad or unknown standing in the system.

NRDS groups are civilized patriots.  They have a home and a yard, and if some stranger happens across their yard, the stranger may be greeted with a friendly smile or may be asked to leave until they are better known and verified non-aggressive.

Why Be NRDS?

Simple.  If you don't consider yourself a rabid dog nor a backwoods hillbilly, you have no other choice; you have to be NRDS.  If you don't aspire to be a Firefly Reaver or a Borg drone, you have to be NRDS.  If you are not NRDS, then you are either a rabid dog, a Reaver, a backwoods hillbilly, or a Borg drone.  Own up to it.  Either accept that you are one of these things, or straighten out your shit and be NRDS. 

Who And Where Is NRDS?

CVA and it's allies are all NRDS.  CVA and it's allies traditionally hold sovereign space in the Providence region, and operate in a number of nearby low security regions as well.  Many groups operating primarily in high security space are probably also NRDS, but just haven't really thought about it.  Come by Providence some time and say hello, but check your standings first, and be on the lookout for rabid dogs and trespassing hillbillies. 

Fly Safe!