Back In Space

When I got home yesterday, I made the perfunctory attempt to log into EVE Online. I noticed the launcher download nine files. Hmmm. Then, wonders of wonders, I got to the login page. I entered my credentials and the launcher presented the character select screen with no delays. Selecting my character, I watched as bulk data downloaded and I was sitting in a station in Rens. Like normal.

I did have one small issue. I did not connect cleanly to the chat servers and received a pop-up box asking if I'd like to retry. I clicked yes. All my chat channels appeared.

Now, I'd been fooled before by this type of behavior in the wake of the DDoS attacks. The real test was hitting the markets with a multi-buy order, as I originally flew to Rens to buy a Heron. Sure enough, the multi-buy feature worked as intended, as fast as intended.

I had flushed the DNS cache on my computer before attempting to log into EVE. Was that the trick to logging in? I decided to attempt to log in on my second computer without doing anything. When I opened up the launcher, I saw a group of 35 files download, then a second group of nine files download. I then logged in as if nothing had happened over the last nine days.

Switching back to the first account, I saw I needed to buy 4 Warrior Is remotely, as Rens didn't have any in stock. I then tested the chat system by flying over 10 jumps picking up my new drones and then back to base. No troubles with local.

I then placed the Heron and fittings in a secure cargo container and created a contract for my alpha alt. No problems with the contract system. I then logged out and logged in my Alpha account. Received and opened the contract with no issues. With the Skilling Spree in effect, I decided to go out and kill a rat for 10,000 skill points. The only problem I encountered was that my Heron is speed/sig tanked and I took a bunch of damage before I got to range. But once at range, my light missiles finished off an NPC for the skill points.

I then did the same for characters on two other accounts. Also as expected, Jaguars, and assault frigate, work much better than a speed/sig tanked tech 1 Slasher frigate at running combat sites, even in high sec. What, you didn't think I was in low sec testing out the server stability, did you?

The final major test was running an Emerging Conduit. I logged in my combat/ratting account and undocked in a Vagabond. I was a little rusty, but was finishing up the site as a pair of Rattlesnakes landed on grid. Really, the guy needed to dual-box two Rattlesnakes to take on an Emerging Conduit? Sad.

Overall, I managed to play for a little over two hours. The only issue was I always had to click the retry button in order to connect to the chat servers. Once, I had to click twice. But once connected, I never lost the connection.

All isn't peaches and creme yet. I tried to access the forums from the train and couldn't. I'll have to try again once I get home. But getting to play EVE again with no lag and no disconnects? I'll call that a win.