Lights, camera, nerds

I often get asked the question “What is EVE Online?” I used to reply that it was an MMO set in space. I was wrong. I had realised for some time that it was the incorrect answer, but attending Fanfest for the first time this year really drove the point home. EVE is a community of people. Sometimes we meet on the internet and shoot each other in the face, sometimes in distant places with harsh weather to share a beer and enjoy each other’s company. EVE Online itself is the common ground, a conduit for something much greater than itself, like football or music. Perhaps it’s just an excuse to throw a really great party at the top of the world.Xander and I were both lucky enough to be selected as player presenters for EVE TV—something I did not expect but was extremely pleased about and thankful for. Directly after arriving in Reykjavik, I was called to a meeting at Harpa with the other player presenters, along with CCP Mimic (who has the most charming smile you’ve ever seen), CCP Guard (who has a pretty dashing smile also), CCP Shadowcat and CCP Tara. Although I’ve been with Crossing Zebras for well over a year, this was the first time I had actually met Xander (and no, he never stops talking, ever). As you can imagine, we’re all a chatty bunch, so it there was no icebreaking required. In fact, there is no need for icebreakers at Fanfest at all—you can rock up to pretty much anyone and just say, “What’s your name and who do you fly with?” and boom—you have a conversation.

“Backstage” on the EVE TV set

The next day, the gates were opened and the madness started. Before Fanfest, I kept telling people I had a list as long as my arm of people I wanted to meet. The list of people I ended up meeting and talking to was much longer than my arm. Fanfest is about meeting people as much as it is about internet spaceships, if not more. Between presentations and roundtables, and certainly after each day “ends”, there’s a whole lot of socialising and even more beer while enjoying the great nightlife of Reykjavik.(Bear with me, wall of text and name dropping inc.) I spoke with Mangala Solaris and Biohazard about the new RVB tournament, and the amazing prize pool of 100 bil. I shared in heavy duty lore nerdery with Tarek and Phyridian (who were both in the new trailer) over a glass of wine at a GalMil dinner (25 people, represent!). I met Marcel whose corp, Aideron Robotics, I had once called “little North Korea”, and that has subsequently lead to many a meme. I got to interview the amazing and creative Rixx Javix for EVE TV, and talk with him and his wife. At the Pub Crawl with Team Five-0, CCP Sharq and I realised we shared a common taste in music, and he let me in on the Icelandic progressive metal scene (as well as some headbanging and shouting of lyrics at the Metallica cover band concert). Sugar Kyle filled my brain with all manner of information about virtually anything I could think to ask about—that woman is amazing. I got to laugh it up with Lychton, Otto Bismarck, Bam Stroker, Jorg and Xander about leg-rubbing. CCP Fozzie explained to me why Canada is just as bad as Iceland when it comes to weather. CCP Cognac showed why he’s the coolest dude in Iceland when he showed up for the infamous GMVA house party (RIP Jules). Nashh Kadavr, Roc Weiler, The Mittani, Neville Smit, Oh Takashawa, NinjaTurtle, and on, and on.

CCP Guard, Rixx Javix, me and CCP Tara

On the set, I got to work with CCP Mimic, who’s probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and CCP Guard who’s, you know, CCP Guard (!) and the only one cool enough to have a t-shirt with his own face on. Being entrusted to represent EVE TV with thousands of nerds watching is just the coolest thing ever (I’m certain Twitch chat had a joke or two at my expense). I realised just how hard the entire team worked to make it all come together. To top it all off, CCP Mimic made a mic stand out of a beer mug so that Xander, Otto, Bam, NinjaTurtle, Oh Takashawa and I could record a podcast at Harpa—and then hotdropped in at the end. Call me when Blizzard does something like that.

Above all I got to meet the people I have flown with, and those I’ve shot in the face (or died trying to shoot in the face), sharing stories of battles past.

Conversations would often start about internet spaceships, but quickly turned into pretty much anything. Of course there was a small cadre of hard core True Nerds™ that never got out of the rut, but most people were just being people hanging out and having a good time. Perhaps the most impressive thing to see was that every kind of social barrier that exists in “RL” as well as in-game was virtually gone. No one cared if you were old, young, black, white, fat, skinny, man, woman, PL, Goon, pirate, carebear or anything else. Everyone was an EVE player, full stop.

T3 Friendship

The nation of EVE.Playing EVE alone without making contact with other people is like driving a Porsche in 1st gear—the community is testament to that. This is why I tell every last new player I meet to join a corp, yesterday. Join the nation, and never not come to Fanfest ever again. We might troll you, scam you, kill you, pod you and even steal from you, but you’re part of the family now, and I’ll gladly share a drink (or seven) with you at Harpa or downtown Reykjavik. See you at the top of the world in 2016.