EVE:AIEU New Recruit FAQ
Introduction
Since the beginning of April 2013, the personnel officers of Alea Iacta Est Universal [AIEU] in EVE Online have been taking a more proactive role in processing applications.
We have subsequently encountered several general questions about the requirements for admittance into AIEU. This FAQ will endeavor to answer those questions about the application process and officially codify requirements for entry into our corporation. As of April 2014 this document is up-to-date and represents the official position of the AIEU Officership in EVE Online. Further questions can be directed to the following individuals in-game:
- Stigg Cooperii
- Lanctharus Onzo
- Drewson Houten
- StupidGenius Charante
- Orsalis Cain
- Kuda Timberline
- Razhoff Darksand
Questions can always be directed to officers@aie-universal.com outside of the game as well.
Requirements and Before You Start
Q: I have never played EVE Online, but I am interested in the game. What’s the best way to start playing?
A: Hello prospective recruit. EVE Online is a daunting and difficult game to learn, but we would direct you to CCPs free 14-day trial. This will allow you to try out the game and see if you can get a handle on the incredibly obtuse interface without committing actual money to the cause.
Additionally, several members of the MyExtraLife and AIE community can be found who will offer 21-day free buddy referrals and a split of the PLEX that is offered. Certain members are more generous than others, but you’ll have to engage the community to find out who.
Q: I hear AIE has a presence in EVE Online. Is that true?
A: It most certainly is. Alea Iacta Est Universal [AIEU] is the official AIE presence in EVE Online.
Q: Is it just like the Warcraft guild?
A: Well, no, not exactly. EVE Online is a very different sort of game than World of Warcraft. While many members of AIEU are also members of either the Warcraft guild or other guilds in the AIE community, the EVE corporation is a little bit more unique than the rest of AIE.
That said, AIEU is still part of the AIE community. Differences aside, in many ways AIEU is a lot like the World of Warcraft guild with its emphasis on being overwhelmingly friendly and supportive, as well as adhering to the core mantras and values of the greater AIE community.
Q: In what ways is AIEU different from the Warcraft branch of AIE?
A: First, it is a lot smaller. EVE, while disproportionately influential, is a niche MMO with a unique spin on gameplay that not all personalities can stomach. As such, we do not have a constant stream of text that is Greenwall or an EVE equivalent. This is a two-edged sword: while there are less people who are online in EVE at any given time than in World of Warcraft, the environment is much more intimate and it is much easier to get to know absolutely everyone who is an active member of the corporation.
Second, AIEU inhabits a dark and cold universe. EVE Online is honestly no place for children and is in no universe a family-friendly game. As such, only members who are over the age of 18 are admitted into AIEU. Language is a little bit looser, and moderation is a little bit less strict.
That said, just because AIEU is not explicitly family-friendly, does not mean we tolerate any shenanigans. We still hold to all the values of AIE, chief among them is “Don’t be a jerk” and “Be nice to one another.” We also strive towards being inclusive and friendly as-all-heck, a rare thing in the EVE universe.
Finally, there are additional admission requirements into the corporation that do not exist for much of the rest of AIE.
Q: Admission Requirements? What sort of admission requirements?
A: EVE, like I have said, is a cold and dangerous place in terms of both game mechanics and some of the actual people you will meet. Scamming, griefing, trolling, and general Internet obnoxiousness are par for the course in large swathes of EVE, and as a corporation we need to take extra precautions to insure our members are compatible with the rest of the corporation.
The requirements are not onerous; however, and if you are already reading this document you may already meet them. They are as follows:
- Be over the age of 18.
- Be an active member of the MyExtraLife or the AIE community and one of its games for at least three months. Or: Be sponsored by a member of AIEU who is in good standing with the corporation and the greater community.
- Have a clean record in EVE Online, and not on the Brave Newbies [BNI] blacklist.
- Submit a valid, complete, and full API key with no expiry while filling out your UMAMI application.
- Have a character name that isn’t explicitly racist, sexist, or downright offensive. Again, despite looser requirements insofar as family-friendliness goes, officers reserve the right to reject characters with names like “Nazis4life Deadpuppiez.”
That’s it. Anyone who meets these simple requirements are more than welcome to be a member of AIEU.
Q: I don’t meet requirement number two, and I heard about your corporation through a podcast affiliated with the Frogpants or AIE community and would like to join.
A: There still might be hope. We would encourage you to join the MyExtraLife Forums and engage us in the EVE Online subforum. Get a feel for who we are and what we are all about, and ask the all the questions you desire about EVE Online. Become a member of the community, and see if you can get a member to sponsor you.
If for some some reason this is too much of a burden, or if you are shy about posting on forums, by all means put in an application through AIE’s UMAMI system. If you pass our background check, you may be flagged for an interview by officers, and after such an interview it may be determined that you can be let into the corp. Interviews, however, can take up to two weeks or occasionally longer to schedule, so while you are waiting you should try engage the community. We really are a friendly bunch of people. Truly.
Q: Are there any other reasons why officers might request an interview?
A: Yes. While the officers of AIEU are trying to be nimble and quick about accepting new applications to the corporation, officers may request interviews for a variety of reasons, particularly if they have a question about your EVE background.
Q: I meet all the requirements! Where can I sign up?
A: You will first need to create a UMAMI account. Directions for that can be found here. Once you have a UMAMI account, you may then submit an application for a new EVE Online character, at the top of the page using Games > EVE Online under the “Applications” tab.
Q: Are there any reasons why officers might outright reject an application and outright decline an interview? What were the reasons for this outright rejection?
A: Yes. Officers reserve the right to reject any applications. The most common reason for declining an application is the applicant is not an existing member of the AIE community.
Your UMAMI Application
As we have been processing applications, we have noticed a recurrent theme with most new applications: new applications consistently have something wrong with the API key that has been submitted through UMAMI. This section is dedicated to helping properly create your API key to begin applying to AIEU.
Q: What sort API key is required for admittance into AIEU?
A: As of April 2013, AIEU requires a full account API key with no expiry for all characters with the access mask 268435455.
Q: A full account API key? Is that really necessary?
A: Yes.
Q: Really though, doesn’t that seem a little intrusive and invasive?
A: EVE Online is a very special game with a complex and rich meta-game on top of the actual gameplay mechanics. Corporations are susceptible to awoxing, theft, and general acts of espionage and spying if they do not take reasonable and proper precautions to limit themselves against such acts. Furthermore, as a member of AIEU, you will have access to certain Brave Newbie services. As a responsible alliance member, AIEU must take every reasonable precaution to prevent general acts of espionage against the alliance as a whole.
Q: What is the easiest way to generate an API key?
A: The first screen you will fill out for your UMAMI application will look something like this:
The box highlighted in yellow that says “Generate New Key” can be used to generate the appropriate API key. It will take you directly to your EVE Online account management page and require a login.
After logging in, all the fields that need to be checked will be checked. There will now be two fields that you’ll need to fill out:
By default, the page looks like this. Give your API key a name, and check the “No Expiry” box.
This is what that part of the page should look like when you are finished, except you may name the key whatever you’d like. When you are done, hit submit, and use the new API Key number and vCode to fill out your application and select the appropriate character in UMAMI you would like to have apply to the corporation.
Q: What will this API key allow you to see?
A: All your characters, your wallet transactions, and your EVE Mail, among other things.
Q: What won’t this API key allow you to do?
A: It won’t allow us access to the account, and we aren’t capable of making changes to any of the data. Think of an API key as a programmer’s way of implementing the World of Warcraft Armory without creating a public webpage.
Q: If I leave the corp, will you still keep my API key?
A: Yes, probably, but not out of malice or spite, mostly out of time constraints on editing a giant database. But the big secret is you can delete your API key whenever you would like. We wouldn’t advise doing so while still in the corp, but you are absolutely free to delete the key if you have left. We won’t hold it against you, but we may require a new API key if you decide to rejoin.
Q: I’ve been a member of the corp since before April 2013, and I’m pretty sure you guys don’t have a full API key on file. Are you guys going to kick me?
A: No. Do not panic, you have been grandfathered in. The corporation will Eventually™ get around to updating API keys for all members, but this is a time consuming process of updating the UMAMI database. Do not worry about it in the meantime.
Q: What gives? My UMAMI application was declined, and I'm not happy about it. Why was it declined?
A: Generally speaking, AIEU does not disclose to applicants the exact reasons for being declined. That said, the most common reason an application is declined is:
- Directions were not followed properly when filling out the UMAMI application, or the wrong type of API key was submitted.
Furthermore, officers of AIEU reserve the right to reject any particular application regardless of whether or not an applicant meets all the criteria for entry.
Applying to the Corp
Q: I just got an email saying my UMAMI application has been accepted! What do I do now?
A: Congratulations on being accepted into the corp. Once you receive your acceptance email from UMAMI, you will need to apply to the corporation in EVE. To join the corporation, you must first dock at a station and then use the People and Places tool to search for the corp ticker, AIEU. Once you have found the corporation, right click on the name and select Show Info. On the Show Info window, there should be an Apply To Join button. Your in-game application will be processed as soon as a recruitment officer is available to approve it.
Q: Is there anything I should do prior to applying to the corporation or accepting the invitation to become a member?
A: Strictly speaking, no. You are free to apply to the corporation and accept the invitation as soon as you get accepted from UMAMI.
You may, however, want to look at purchasing as many skill books and injecting them as you are able. They are much cheaper in highsec, and while we in AIEU will attempt to provide you with as many of them as possible, they are sometimes harder to come by. If you aren’t certain about what skill books to purchase and inject, consult some of the training plans that are mentioned in some of the newbie guides I have linked to in subsequent questions.
Also, completing the newbie tutorials and career agents will earn you a good amount of ISK and give you a few free skill books as well, though they are not strictly necessary to complete.
Q: After I’ve been accepted into the corporation, are there any additional steps I need to take?
A: Yes. We are part of the Brave Newbies (BNI) alliance.
Using Brave Newbie (BNI) services such as Jabber and Mumble will greatly enhance the amount of fun you get out of EVE. We would all highly recommend installing both Jabber and Mumble. EVE is a lonely place without other people to play, and the General chat channel on Jabber for Brave Newbies alliance is a little bit like an wholly unmoderated version of Greenwall if you’re looking for social interaction.
Q: Anything else I should know about?
A: Yes. There is still a lot you need to know about, EVE is a complex and frightening game, and this FAQ won’t possibly be able to answer all your questions. Follow the guides on the AIE EVE forums here. Get with a member of the corporation, and we will direct you to finding us in the EVE universe. We are more than willing to answer any questions you may have about this amazing and wonderful game.
Finally, EVE Online is a very boring game when played alone. Learn to get on comms on either Mumble or Ventrilo. Engage AIEU and the BNI community. Being a passive player and waiting for events or fun to come to you is a good way to be very bored sitting in a station spinning your ship for hours on end. EVE is all about being an open sandbox where you make your own fun. Do not be a passive player.
Member Conduct and Rules
Q: Are there any specific rules I should know about before joining AIEU?
A: Yes. The following is taken from directly the WoW policies page and heavily edited to suit AIEU.
- We will not tolerate any discrimination based upon basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. End of discussion.
- Trolling, being a badposter, and otherwise throwing temper tantrums, while considered fine arts by some folks in the greater EVE community, are generally frowned upon in AIEU and will not endear you to the rest of the AIE community.
- Members should know their audience when discussing politics, religion, illegal activities, sexual orientation, or explicit sexual acts in the corp forums, corp chat, or on the public Ventrilo server. Public AIE channels are family-friendly and subject to stricter language requirements, particularly around people you do not know. Being intentionally inflammatory is liable to get you a swift boot from AIE.
- The Brave Collective Mumble server, as a mostly unmoderated community, will occasionally venture into all of the above topics, and as such one should expect Brave Collective Mumble to potentially be explicit.
- All members must abide by CCP’s EULA for EVE Online. This explicitly applies to botting and RMTing, such activity will get you removed from the corp.
- All members will abide by applicable agreements between alliances and coalitions. More specifically: don’t shoot blues, and contact an officer or an alliance diplomat if you do.
- Behaviors such as scamming people, suicide-ganking, and certain other behaviors that in other games would be considered “griefing” are fair play in EVE Online, and are permitted so long as they are not done to members in good standing with the corporation and alliance.
- That said, AIEU does prohibit recruitment scamming.
- Additionally, diplomats, noted by the in-game title Legate, are prohibited from scamming completely.
- Awoxing, corporate theft, and acts of espionage against the corp or alliance are liable to get you kicked from AIEU and the AIE community as a whole.
- All members shall be held responsible for their respective accounts and characters actions within the corp. Due to the sensitive nature of EVE Online, it is discouraged to have other people log on to your account for any purpose.
- Members are expected to discuss requests, concerns, or disputes directly with the officers by sending e-mail to officers@aie-universal.com.
Q: If I decide to leave AIEU, may I rejoin at some point?
A: Yes, absolutely. If you leave the corporation in good standing, you are welcome to rejoin at any time. We may entertain another check of your corp history to make certain you haven’t been doing anything that would lend itself to spying or espionage, and we will require a current API key, but we would be more than welcome to have you back.
Q: Are there any other reasons I can get removed from AIEU?
A: Yes. Occasionally AIEU will clean up its roster and remove people who have have been inactive for more than 45 days. This is only intended to have accurate information concerning who is a member of the corporation, we do not track killboard stats or judge participation in any other way. If you are removed from the corp for inactivity and log in again and wish to be a member of AIEU (or just to simply have time to evacuate assets from AIEU and Brave Newbie space), simply contact an officer and we will get you accepted back right away provided your UMAMI application is up-to-date.