Difference between revisions of "Welcome To Agony"

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== Agony Vision ==
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=== Agony Vision ===
  
  

Revision as of 12:56, 2 October 2015


Agony Vision

There are a few key characteristics that define Agony as a corporation.

Community and Corporate Culture

Agony has always had a strong cultural identity and we want to keep it this way. This implies a few things. One is in the form of mentoring. The mechanics of how mentoring works are the responsibility of the squadron leaders, and mentoring provides a channel for teaching pvp or helping with the logistics of joining the corp. However, a common and essential characteristic of mentoring is its critical role in imparting the AGONY cultural philosophy to our new members and bringing them into the family. Each member of Agony is part of our community, whether they're a day old Trial member or a two year old Director. Sponsors, mentors and other members as well will help people feel welcome when they join, will include them in activities, and will let them know how we do things in Agony. Linked closely to this integration into the AGONY community is embracing respect for other members. Every member deserves your full respect, give it to them. In turn, you can depend on respect from other AGONY members. All the other plans and goals in the world won't mean anything if we don't preserve our corporate culture and community.

PVP and Mentoring

Agony has always prided itself on our pilots' competence. Some corporations take new players, toss them into battleships pre-fitted to alliance standards, and use them as cannon fodder to hold some territory. We take new players and turn them into pvpers. Our members are encouraged to lead gangs, to explore non-conventional pvp tactics, to try out seemingly crazy ship setups, to come up with new ideas about pvp in EVE and to lead discussions on these subjects in the corporate forums. If you want to try your hand as FC, you are welcome to throw together a T1 frigate or cruiser gang and give it a try. You might suck at first, but hey, all FCs started somewhere. Nobody turns into a brilliant FC overnight without practice, without making mistakes, without sucking at it in the beginning. Just remember that the main point of these gangs is that you had fun and learned something in process. Some of the most enjoyable gangs are complete and utter disasters in a technical sense. Take some chances; don't be afraid to look bad. Staying a top notch pvp corp depends on taking risks and making use of our pvp abilities. Sure, sometimes you take a risk and get your ass kicked, but other times it pays off in a huge way. Don't be afraid to take on a tough fight. Put yourself out there and develop your skills. If you have a lot of knowledge in a particular area, then organize a seminar and teach everyone else what you know. We're only as good as our weakest link and we want every member to specifically and deliberately better himself or herself as a pvper.


Aggressiveness

Being conservative is just plain not fun. Being aggressive is a direct side effect of being skilled. If, as a corp, we're better trained and smarter than others, we can take on fights that are more risky and consequently more fun - invade other people's space and make it be unusable for them, kill bigger ships with smaller ships and T2 with T1, fight our opponents outnumbered and still be able to win over them, and consequently inspire respect and fear in their minds. Just remember that there's a difference between being aggressive and being stupid. Taking a risk means that you fully understand the situation and the tactics involved, and choose to engage anyway. It means using all your pvp abilities to do your best to win.


PVP University

Our members place a lot of importance on running the PvP University as well as continuing to train our PVPU instructors. PvP University is a big part of what makes us unique as a corporation. And it also works as a great recruiting tool. However, to be able to teach others, we also need to be continuously learning and devoting time to internal training. We need to schedule and run gangs, hold seminars on various PVP subjects, start and participate in forum discussions, write and post after action reports, and help each other to improve in our pvp skills. It is from our corporation's pool of pvpers that our developing members rise to take up responsibilities of instructors or FCs for PVP University's public classes.


Initiative

Agony runs on the efforts of people who step up and volunteer their time to run gangs, to teach classes, to mentor new members, to run logistics for the corp, to practice on test server in order to come up with new strategies and new ideas, to update and create new Wiki articles, to provide leadership with feedback and intel. Without the initiative of these people the corporation would not be what it is today. You do not have to be Core or a Director to initiate or be an active contributor in these activities. Pick an area that you find fun, then think of ways that you can make Agony stronger in that area. Develop yourself, but also help your corporation develop such that you will be proud being part of it.


Nomadic Lifestyle

Variety is the spice of life. In the long term we want Agony to be able to move from hotspot to hotspot and stick our nose into other players' business. So whenever we find that PVP in our area has dried up or there is another, more alluring target-rich area we will be open to moving.


Fun

Despite our emphasis on professionalism when it comes to pvp, we still want Agony members to have fun and understand that they are playing a game, not feel that it is a second job. However, occasionally some tasks pop up that need to be done for the corporation that individual players do not find to be very entertaining. One example is logistics. When corporation is moving from region to region pvp is naturally scaled back. Another example is shooting an occasional POS. Watching its shields go down to the rhythmic pew pew sounds of your turrets is about as fun as watching the paint dry to the ticking of your clock. The key is to remember that all of this is done as a means to an end, not as ends of their own.

All in all, we want Agony to be an extremely skilled, mobile, and aggressive pvp group that makes everyone hesitate when they see us enter local.


Agony Empire Rules of Engagement

Please read and familiarize yourself with Agony Empires rules of engagement.


Hello Post

We want to start getting to know you right away, so one of the first things you should do after joining Agony is make a hello introductory post. A general "hi, I'm here, here is what I've done in EVE and what I am interested in" post in the Agony Lounge would be great.


Teamspeak

The rule is that if you're logged into Eve, you should be logged into TeamSpeak. You can find our TeamSpeak details here. As an Agony member, your nickname should be "[AGONY] Yourname". Within timezones we generate camaraderie by logging onto TS, even when we're not actively PVPing. Logging onto TS also allows us to respond more quickly to fights and keeps you up to date on local intel and therefore keeps your ship intact.


Killboard Access

Access to internal Agony Killboard is password protected and not open to the public. You can find the access details here. This killboard is used for internal discussion, and is our main killboard. We also have a public killboard, used for classes and to allow us to link killmails to the public for battle reports. Note: Both killboards use the same database, so you do not need to post kills twice!



Home System

Currently: Thera

AGONY maintains offices in a number of locations, moving as required to find us some good pvp. See How to Get Your Stuff Moved for more details.


Hangar Access

All new members should have Trial roles assigned in game. This will grant you view access to three corp hangar divisions - Shipping, Supplies, and Equipment. You will not have take access until you get promoted to Core, so if you need something from corp hangar ask any Core member docked in station to help you out. Shipping hangar can be accessed by members with Jump Logistics Specialist title or any Director who is online.

If, as a Trial member, you cannot see the three hangars then you can pm your recruiter or mentor to request these for you or make a post this thread.

The corporation provides a limited number of T1 frigates and destroyers from the corp hangar to its members, so don't be afraid to ask for one.


Moving Ships and Gear and Establishing Your New Base

DO NOT fly your ships and modules into 0.0 space without a scout, even if you are moving them in a cloaking blockade runner (gate campers are quite resourceful). The safest way to get your ships and items moved is to arrange transport directly from highsec with one of corporation's jump freighter pilots or drop your stuff off at Agony's lowsec carrier pick up point. There will be a slight delay between when you arrive at our base of operations and when you items get delivered to you. The fastest way to get them is to do the transportation yourself, in which case make sure to ask advice on TeamSpeak about the 0.0 territory you're heading into. See How to Get Your Stuff Moved for more details.

You can also check the local market at main Agony station to see if you can purchase the needed ships and pvp supplies there. Often the market in areas where Agony operates will be quite well stocked, and if you need a ship in 0.0 it is a good idea to first check market and contracts before arranging time to purchase it in empire and haul it into 0.0.


Forum Access and Discussions

Please check that your forum profile is set up correctly:

Go to your forum profile settings

   Go to your forum profile settings
   Under Agony Main Character type in name of your main character exactly as it is appears in-game. For example if your forum name is Shu and your in-game character's name is Shumatri then type in Shumatri into this field.
   Under Agony Alts List type in name of any alt characters you will bring into corporation. Please note: Trials are restricted: you may only bring combat alts into the corp, and that number is limited. When you make CORE, you are welcome to move other alts into Agony.
   Under "Alt Corporation TICKER" type in name of any of your alt corporations (this will only be visible to directors).
   Under Non-Agony Alts type in names of any of your out-of-corp alts (this will only be visible to directors)

Agony will not set your alt corp blue. You are welcome to apply to the one outside alt corp Agony has set Blue for hauling/freighting/Cyno alts: R'LYEH INDUSTRIES (ticker RLYE); this is the sole outside blue-standings corp. Recruiters will check the Squadrons and Ranks page prior to accepting any alts. And if your alt isn't listed there they will not accept its application to join corp.

To check for upcoming gangs check the Upcoming Events sub forum. And be sure to follow the Ping thread for rapid response situations.

   For after action reports, FC feedback and discussions on what could have been done better refer to After Action Reports sub forum.
   For discussing ships, tactics and setups use Ship Setups and Tactics sub forum.
   To discuss news that do not relate to EVE or Agony or post RL pics refer to Agony Lounge sub forum
   To check for trade deals, logistics services, or to buy combat boosters refer to Market and Logistics sub forum

Forum discussions can sometimes lead to miscommunications. Communicating through the web we are unable to hear the tone of voice nor see the body language of those who are conversing with us and become much more likely to misinterpret things. Thus try to remember that if something feels like an attack, it might be just miscommunication or the person might be having a bad day and speaking a bit too harshly. The free exchange of ideas does involve critical thinking and criticism. Please remember that people are critiquing ideas, not the person who put the idea forward.

This quote was taken from an AGONY member:

"Everyone has their opinion and are entitled to such. Sometimes people just have to agree to disagree which is ok. That's another reason that I like Agony, the freedom to speak my mind. In other corps they might just boot me. Let's shake hands by popping some ships together in the near future......or getting popped together though I prefer the former. "


Commenting on New Applications

New applications are posted in the Recruitment sub forum for the membership to comment on. This is not personal; it's about members' impression of an application. Your application was there too but as soon as you've been invited into Agony, your application will be moved off the forum. Now that you're part of Agony, we'd like to hear your opinion on the next applicants. There can be some good discussions that really inform you about how recruiting specifically, and the corp in general, is going, so put your two cents in.

Agony is pretty easy going most of the time, but this is one of the few things Agony is very strict on; the new applications forum is sacrosanct and breaching the confidentiality of the forum will result in severe consequences including expulsion from Agony. So comment away, but never reveal what anyone has said in there.


Squadrons

AGONY is organized into squadrons that are based on three time zones: Euro prime-time is Alpha Squadron (16-00 EVE time), US prime-time is Charlie Squadron (00-08 EVE time), and Oceanic prime-time is Echo squadron (08-16 Eve time). You can see members of each squadron listed here. These squadrons are not based on your place of residence, but rather on your prime play time. If you live in Europe but work night shifts and play EVE at night for example, then you can be assigned to Charlie Squadron since it will be members of Charlie that you play with most often. You'll be assigned to a squadron immediately as you get accepted into corp, but your assignment is not set in stone and you can request to be reassigned. If your schedule changes or you feel you haven't been assigned to the right squadron you can ask to be moved to another squadron.

Squadrons exist for purely administrative purposes. You are welcome to join operations with whoever is online and don't have to fly strictly with members of your own squadron.


Ranks and Chain of Command

If you have concerns about progressing up the ranks, talk to your mentor, or your squadron's Director about it. Let us know if you are having any problems. We want you to pass your scan test, get promoted, and most importantly enjoy the game. When looking for help it's usually best to go up the chain of command. In a simplified sense the command structure of Agony goes:

   CEO The buck stops here.
   DIRECTOR A minimum of three active directors each covering one of the three major time zones.
   CORE Full-fledged Agony member.
   TRIAL New recruits.

Mentoring

When you join Agony, depending on what squadron you are assigned to, you may also be assigned a mentor. You will get a pm stating who your mentor will be. Mentor is usually a Core member who assumes responsibility for your application. Mentors will review and any comments left on your application by other members and your progress towards Core membership and then speak with you if needed.

For experienced players, your mentor is a friendly face and a good person to talk with about your plans. For newer players, your mentor can give guidance on PvP as well as take you flying along to get you comfortable in 0.0. Your mentor serves as your guide to 0.0 existence and fitting into the Agony way of life. He or she is your first point of contact if there's something you need. If your mentor is barely active you can contact your recruiter or your squadron director and ask for another mentor to be assigned to you.

You mentor should schedule to have a talk with you during your first two weeks in corporation. Talk to your mentor about your goals and ask about opportunities within Agony to get you closer to these goals. Make sure to also ask your mentor about requirements you have to fulfill to get promoted to Core membership. Feel free to ask your mentor any other questions that you have about corporation, or pvp and life in 0.0 in general.


Certs

Your squadron may use certifications to evaluate your progress. Certain certifications may be required to advance to Core Agony status. Ask your mentor for details.

The most common certs used by squadrons are:

   Agony Structure and Organization
   Basic PVP
   Intermediate PVP certification

There are more certifications available. Ask your mentor for details.

PVP-Basic class manual.

If you have not yet taken pvp-basic you can now download the class materials as a Kindle Book file HERE


Using the Wiki

All of the articles contained on Agony's Wiki can be found through Agony Private Page on the left hand side. Agony's Wiki is a storage place for all kinds of information from tactics, to ship setups, to corp rules and roles, to guides on trading and setting up POSes. All members are encouraged to read and create content for our wiki. Also if you find errors please report them here Agony Wiki Administration Remember that the wiki is a public resource however, and you shouldn't be posting sensitive material to it!

You should also avoid deleting large amounts of content without at least consulting someone else beforehand.


Smack Talk

AGONY has a NO SMACK policy. 'GF's in local are encouraged, and you are allowed to chat in local providing you don't do it in a way that makes Agony look bad (treat it like any other form of public communication). Occasionally an FC might ask you to post something in local with the aim of generating a fight. There are lots of things you are allowed to do with Local but smack is not one of them. If you're not sure of where the line falls between smack and chatting, err on the side of safety and just wave or say gf.

A constant barrage of smack from our opponents can tempt someone to smack back. Just say no! Don't try to be as big an idiot as the other guy. Odds are he's had way more practice at idiocy than you'll ever have. You'll never be able to catch up so don't bother trying! Remember, he'll be just as frustrated by the lack of a response.


Rules of Engagemen

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Our FULL CURRENT Rules of Engagement (ROE) can be found here, and all Agony members are expected to abide by it:

   You must maintain a security status of -4.0 or higher.
   No overt griefing.
   No ransoming.
   No high-sec ganking.
   While in a fleet only engage a neutral at the FC's instruction.


== Q&As

Recruitment: Reviewing Apps & Inviting Friends ==


Should I as Trial member have access to the recruitment forum? Yes, and you should comment on the applications if you know anything about the applicant or notice something from their application. Everybody is welcome to make comments on the newly received apps.

== How does Agony recruit new members? ==


Recruiting new members is vital to any corporation in EVE to keep on going. It is natural for existing members to get bored with the game or the corp after spending a long time in it. One major source of new recruits are our PVP University classes. Players sign up for and attend classes, and if they like what they see and think it is something they would like to be a part of they drop in an application. As such it is vital for Agony members to support PVP University. Second source of applicants are invitations by existing Agony members inviting their friends, ex-corp mates, and significant others into the corporation. Third source is occasionally flying together with other corps and alliances or fighting them in 0.0 regions we inhabit. Some of the pilots we fight against end up joining our ranks. Fourth third source is direct and indirect advertisement - people reading EVE Online forums where Agony gets mentioned or hearing about the corporation from such events as Alliance Tournament and deciding it is something they would like to try out.

== My friend would like to apply to Agony. What should he or she do? ==


It is recommended that your friend attempts to enroll and make it to the BASIC class just to get a feeling of the way Agony flies and operates. Your friend should also get familiar with articles about Agony Empire that are posted on this page: Main Public Page. Reading those will help the applicant determine if Agony is the right corp for him. If your friend is an experienced pvper then he can just fill out an application and drop it to Agony in game. Ten you should make a note on application that you know this person and describe what you know about them and why you think Agony should take this applicant.


How long does it take for applications to get reviewed?

Usually applicants hear back from one of the recruiters within 5 days from submitting an application. If they have not received a response they can contact one of the recruiters from the squadron that they are applying to.


Who can accept people into corporation?

The recruiter who is assigned to handle that particular application is the only person who can decided whether to accept it or reject.


Who can give in-game roles to newly accepted characters?

Only Directors and CEO can do perform this task.

How does PVP loot from pvp ops get distributed?

You are welcome to use whatever modules/ammo/drones you collect to fit out your ships. Excess PVP loot should be dropped into Equipment (modules) or Supplies (ammo/drones) hangar so that other members would be able to use it. If you are pvping alone or in a small group with one or two other people you may decide on some sort of loot distribution scheme, transport and sell whatever you collect from wrecks. Any loot gathered during corporate pvp ops that you don't intend to directly use on your ships should be dropped into corp hangar for use by corp members.