This one, according to the official press release will contain at least the following:

•80 new story line courier missions
•Rocket balancing
•Tech 2 ammo balancing
•Adding faction ships to the market
•Fighter bomber missile visual effects changes
•Anti-aliasing support
•Window resizing, camera offset
•Meta-item indicator icons
•UI optimization to contract delivery filtering
•Cargo can now be dragged to hangar by dropping on Neocom
•Toggling probes in overview
•POS gunners now receive notifications about control towers under attack
•Sorting deliveries according to distance in jumps or regional locations
•Unique icons for Microwarpdrives and Afterburners

What does that mean to us? Lots and lots of stuff that will cost insane amounts of isk.

I know, the icons and such are just window dressing and all, but 80 new quests is a lot to muster. We’re going to be running up and down the galaxy trying to get everything done and not one piece of it will be cheap.

Thankfully, I’ve been working with a place that get you some isk in no time at all. Remember Toonstorm? Yeah, they are delivering in under 5 minutes right now. No joke! Check it out! And 1 billion isk will only set you back $45! If you can find a better deal, I suggest you let me know. Because you’re working with a scammer!

Seriously, though, I’m pumped for the new content even if it’s going to be a little later than expected. With all of the good stuff that’s bound to come of it, I’m going to go buy Eve Online isk so that I’m prepared.

After all, I do still have to protect my assets while running these quests, and those pirates haven’t forgotten me. Can’t go letting my guard down just because there’s new content around.

EVE is just a little different. There are plenty of hazards put in place by the devs, but some of the worst threats come from your fellow players. Pirates are just the most obvious examples of this. While I really hate being farmed by a group (see previous posts), there’s an honesty to what they’re doing. When you see a pirate fleet coming for you, you know what you’re up against for the most part. They want what you have and are going to take the most direct route to get it, that being to blow you up.

More dangerous are your fellow players who are more business minded. They have the same goals as the pirates, but the methods are vastly different. You have no idea where they will come from, how they will hit you, and in some cases who is making your life miserable. Suddenly finding your supply of raw materials drying up? It could be an honest shortage, but it could just as easily be a bit of espionage designed to weaken you for some grand takeover.

Other players can be your worst enemies when you’re buying Eve Online isk, too. If you’re a little careless about who you tell about your buying habits it can get to the wrong ears. This can mean the devs, who would be happy to ban you. It can also mean a player who isn’t above a little blackmail.

Therein lies the rub with this game. Other MMOs lead you by the nose through the game. Here people have the freedom to be as good or horrible as they like.

Be careful out there.

On the other hand, no news is good news. Those griefers I was telling you about? Yeah, they had a really nasty little surprise waiting for them the next time they came calling. The reactions were truly spectacular. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone retreat that fast before. They came back a few more times later on but their meal ticket has just expired, along with a large portion of their fleet. It was wonderful.

I have made a few buys since then, but I stuck with Toonstorm since I got a great deal last time, and the delivery times made me really happy. No sense messing with a good thing, right? Although I would never tell anyone, those griefers did a lot of damage to my fleet and my outpost. It took a lot of extra isk to clean up the mess they left behind and rebuild the outpost. They were really clever each time like I said. They would take out my defenses as surgically as they could, then they would steal everything they could. After that they’d leave me alone just long enough for me to rebuild a little and then hit me again. It only got to be a problem after I could only muster enough resources to try and re-establish the supplies I lost but couldn’t make enough to build my fleet again. Thank the interwebs for Toonstorm.

Other than that, not much to report so I’m going to take a minute to remind you of a few little hints you’ll want to keep in mind. Things have finally settled down since the patch, but you still need to be on your guard against scams.

Just remember, if the site looks like it isn’t from your native country, it’s a good indication that something is fishy. If you’re playing the Russian servers, buy Eve Online isk from Russian sites. It doesn’t matter where you live, sites that operate strictly elsewhere are dangerous to you. They won’t be familiar with your dialect or cultural norms during transactions which can stand out really badly if you have to converse. Devs pick up on that sort of thing.

Also remember that good deals are only good if they can be backed up. If you find what looks like a great deal, double check it against sites you know already before buying. There isn’t that much disparity out there, so it should stand out if it’s fake.

I took advantage of the deal Toonstorm was offering at the time. With the special they had running, I got a good deal on my Isk and was able to buff up my defenses. The last thing to do is try to get my Titan completed so that it can baby sit some of my assets. People are less likely to farm your shipments if there’s a hulking pile of doom watching over it.

I may as well let you know just how the buy went. Besides having the best deal available, Toonstorm also had the best delivery times of anyone I looked at and that was really important to me.

Here’s how it went:

First, I logged into the site with my secure ID, etc. That keeps anyone too curious from finding out just who I am and who I play. It’s rare that anyone goes fishing for that info, but it never hurts to be safe about it.

Next, I picked out the amount I wanted. I went for 1 billion isk to make sure that I had enough for what I needed at the time, but also not so much that I showed up on anyone’s radar. I processed a payment with my favorite credit card and gave them the info they needed to get it to me safely.

Lastly, I chatted with a rep who verified everything they needed to make sure that I wasn’t hacking someone else’s account for the buy. It’s little things like that which help me feel better about my buys. Then came the best news – I’d get my Isk in all of 5 minutes. Can’t complain about that!

I barely had time to log in and double check the situation before I suddenly had 1 billion isk coming my way. With that in my coffers it was plenty of extra cash to beef up my defense force and keep the griefers from stealing my hard earned stuff. Justice is wonderful.

In short, it’s a blast!

The only down side is the costs involved. Yes, I’m raking in a good bit thanks to the planet, but I seem to have really irritated some local pirate band recently. They’ve been making a point of picking on me, farming me for what I’m worth, but always making sure that I have the resources to rebuild afterwards. That way I can get myself in operation again just in time for them to raid me again. I’d cry griefing, but it’s a good plan and I can’t fault them for it. Plus, I don’t want GM attention right now since I have a plan of my own.

The basic idea is to buy Eve Online isk up as fast as I safely can and build up a truly massive armada (there’s no way the Titan will be ready any time soon). That way, when they come for me the next time, I’ll be ready. The only difference is that I won’t leave anyone alive to tell the tale.

This, of course, always presents a little dilemma. Where to buy Isk? Well, this time is going to be a no brainer.

Toonstorm.com is offering 10% – 20% off of the whole site right now as a summer sale. I can’t justify buying anywhere else at those prices. Prices are up, like I predicted before, but this will help offset that just a little.

So I hop on the site, pick my server, and make the buy. I want to speed this along so that I can get to building faster, so I jump into live chat. The rep is right there waiting for me, so I confirm the order and get the ball rolling. They let me know it’s going to be about 2 hours before everything is ready.

I log into the game (I’d planned on playing for a while anyway) and get a few things ready for when I get the message. Thankfully, it only takes an hour before the isk is ready and I’m off to do some serious fleet building. These guys have a nasty surprise coming to them.

As we all know and I outlined last time, the big draw here is that you can set up colonies on various planets and harvest the resources they offer. This can include all sorts of things, like heavy metals, non-cs crystals, and even suspended plasma. Of course, it’s going to cost an awful lot to keep the colonies safe, so I recommend you buy Eve Online isk in decent quantities so that you can prep for the folks who are going to try and take your hard earned goods from you.

We all know that every pirate out there is going to be drooling at the thought of all of the resources up for grabs. Kind of makes me wish I had that Titan ready. It’d be pretty ideal for discouraging opportunistic types. Too late now, though. Here’s hoping that the fleet is up to the task!

Anyway, I feel like iI need to reiterate a few important points if you’re going to buy Eve Online isk now.

The big thing that I usually recommend is to only buy from sites you know whenever a new expansion or major patch drops. The reason is really simple: scammers pop up in droves whenever there’s new content to be had. These guys will appear with all sorts of promises they never intend to keep, then vanish with your money.

The other thing to keep in mind is that prices aren’t going to hold steady for very long. Right now they’re right around $14.50 in most places, some higher, some lower. This won’t last for much more than a few days or so, maybe a week at the most. That’s when the supply chain will start to dry up and prices will start to climb. Usually it’s the lesser known places that will feel the crunch first. Stick to the bigger places when this happens, because they’ll have a larger supply pool to draw from. That helps keep the prices lower for longer. Plus there isn’t the added pressure of reduced supply making the deliverers nervous. Nervous people make mistakes more easily than others, which can lead to all kinds of trouble down the line.

Be safe out there!

Of course, everyone has been working like crazy to have enough funds to make their first colonies really worth their while. This means hoarding plenty of isk to buy the new stuff with, and also spending some on upgrading their fleet to protect their new investments. The costs are going to be astronomical! I’m just hoping I can have my titan finished in time to make a difference. It doesn’t seem too likely at this point.

Now the big thing that I have to warn everyone about during expansion times is the insane number of scams that start cropping up. More people than ever have a good reason to buy Eve Online isk, after all. So here are a few tips to help keep you safe from the unscrupulous types.

First off, remember to do your research before picking a site. Check for any third-party reviews you can. Not the reviews right on the site. Those can be faked way too easily to be considered reliable. Check out Bizrate or other sites for some independent opinions, too.

Don’t get suckered into sending money orders. Scammers like to claim this is the only way to avoid getting caught buying isk, but instead it’s really just an easy way for them to walk away with your money. After the order gets cashed, it’s as good as gone. The EVE devs can’t pull your credit card or paypal transactions without tons of probable cause, so don’t sweat it.

I pity the fool who don’t have a money-back guarantee! These are the best thing to see on a site. They indicate a site with longevity in mind. Plus you know they’ll take extra precautions to ensure you don’t get busted because their money and reputation is on the line. If you need to see what a good example of these things look like, head over to Toonstorm.com. Theirs is worded really well.

Finally, use your common sense. Bad sites have a tendency to make really ridiculous claims to try and get people in the door, so to speak. Check with sites that you know and trust, then compare what they offer to the other site. If it all sounds too good to be true, then it is. If it’s more in line with reality, then I’d go ahead and consider it.

Well, things are finally starting to come together for the new expansion. It looks like the official launch date has been set for 5/18, and the best part about the whole thing is that it’s free. They’re adding a really REALLY cool feature that allows you to interact with the planets in New Eden!

Basically, what this means is that we can finally do something that made sense to do all along. We can now pick a planet, stake a claim, and start stripping out its resources. This will give us access to way more stuff than we had before, and we won’t be quite as dependant on a fluctuating market to supply us with goods. Now we’re going to have more direct control over the amount of supply on the market, meaning we can set the prices. This will be truly intense.

Now, of course all of this will come at a cost. You’ll have to build a colony up with extractors, processers, and refineries to make the whole thing worth your while. But once it’s done, you’ll be in amazing shape. The best way to get a leg up on this, of course, is to buy Eve Online isk so that you aren’t draining your coffers to fund the new ventures.

Another cool feature will be the EVE Gate. This basically lets you manage some of your in-game info from anywhere with an internet connection. They’re talking letting you manage your contacts and your profile, and that the game doesn’t need to be installed. I’m a little iffy on the security of something that’s stored in the cloud like that, but it would be nice to do on my breaks or if I’m out of town.

One thing that I feel the need to point out here is that scammers love this sort of info. I’ve seen it happen around every major announcement and expansion that EVE has ever kicked out. They take advantage of the massive upswing in interest and set up bogus websites promising tons and tons of isk for next to nothing prices. Then, of course, they shaft everyone who buys from them once the money rolls in. I’d advise anyone buying right now to stick with known companies so that you don’t find yourself scammed. Buy Eve Online Isk safely, folks.

I’m feeling a little impatient about the whole thing because a few of the sites I’ve been monitoring have been complaining of really unreliable delivery systems lately. I remember when Toonstorm had a similar problem, but they were quick to simply cut out the people who were causing the problem. Since then they’ve had to slow delivery times a little, but at least they’re accurate. That’s why I’m going to buy from them today instead of someone else. No sense playing roulette with it.

Today I’m going to pick up 300 million isk. It’s running for 18.80 right now which has me pleased. Other places have spiked prices to compensate for some of the supply chain trouble they’re having. So I make the buy and today I’m going to play with live chat to see if it’s still working as well as the old fashioned confirmation call. As it turns out it’s working fine. I talked to the rep for a few minutes to make sure that they’re doing everything possible to keep me safe. No sense getting this Titan worked on if I’m going to get suspended for it. He was really reassuring, and let me know that all of the less-than-safe people they’d had to work with in the past were long gone. Plus my order would be ready in about 5 hours. Not bad all things considered.

And I’m back a bit later to let you know that the handoff went fine, and about half an hour earlier than expected. Time to sink that Isk right into the Titan and hope for the best.

Anywho, Toonstorm is still a great place to buy Eve Online isk, so keep them in mind.

First things first, I really have to say I’m impressed with everyone who went out after reading the last post and made a buy to help raise money for Haiti. Toonstorm hit their goal in no time with all of your help. A huge thank you goes out to each and every one of you.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, the devs of your favorite game and mine allowed us a little peek at the new expansion via a mass test that they were running. The basic idea was that they need to see just how much lag was going to be produced during combat. It was insane. I really have to hand it to them. You almost never see that level of player and community involvement when a company is developing the next chapter of their world. It just goes to show how smart these guys really are that they’d want the people who spend the most time with their game actively involved in its further improvement.

That being said, I should throw out a cautionary tale from when Dominion launched because I don’t want the same thing happening to you when Tranquility finally comes out.

A good friend of mine was planning on making a big Eve Online Isk buy. He’d bought a few times before and figured that it would be nice to have a little extra going into the expansion.

So, he shops around and finds a new place that looks awesome. He schedules a big buy (nothing that would get him noticed, he’s no rookie after all) and can’t wait to make the purchase. Next day he goes in and drops his money via Western Union as requested and is told to wait about 4 days for delivery “for his safety”. This is actually not all that unusual around an expansion or major patch. The mods are really paying attention then, so people slow down a little to avoid getting detected.

Anyway, he plays every day or a week straight but never gets a single message about it. When he tries emailing the company he gets no response at all. Finally a few days later the site comes down. Turns out they were another scam out there.

I only bring this up because it’s really easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new expansion and get burned. I know when TQ is finally out I’m sticking with my friends at Toonstorm for a while since they’ve never let me down yet.