Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.07.2019, Side 54

54 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 12— 2019
WAR OF THE NERDS
Cloaking
Device
Activated
Nerds of EVE Online lose minds
over change in chat function
Words: Hannah Jane Cohen Photo: EVE Online
Remember in the first season of
‘Star Trek: Discovery’ when the
Vulcans gained the ability to fly
undetected by comms in stealth
mode, and the Federation prompt-
ly lost their shit? Well it ain’t just
on TV anymore, kids. Welcome to
EVE Online’s #chatgate2019.
A “safe life”
Only a week after NPC space pi-
rates invaded EVE Online’s Null-
sec space—the “Wild West” of the
galaxy—players were then sub-
jected to another massive and un-
expected change to the game when
their chat function was removed.
In Nullsec, the chat function
previously alerted all players toa-
nother player entering their loca-
tion, showing their name, ships,
and alliance. This meant that you
could track your friends, enemies,
and frenemies, and ensure you
wouldn’t unexpectedly be slaugh-
tered by them. Nullsec was, there-
fore, a lovely haven where players
could thrive, start businesses,
have families, be merry, and gen-
erally live a happy “safe” life.
No chatting
Not anymore. Without notice, CCP
games, the Icelandic company
behind EVE Online, altered the
chat function of Nullsec so you
can no longer identify who is in
your area. The removal of the chat
mode amounts to a new “stealth”
mode in which the newly-invisible
players are plotting horrific cam-
paigns against others. The game-
world is in havoc, with players
stealthily massacring each other
in what was previously a peaceful
area. New players live in terror.
Citadels are being destroyed. Fam-
ilies broken apart. Lives ruined.
It’s a complete madhouse.
CCP has given no notice as to
if or when the original chat func-
tion for Nullsec will be restored.
It seems the best recourse for al-
liances and players are hope, su-
perior gun power, prayer, or just
turning off the game and getting
a life.
CITY SHOT by Art Bicnick
WELL, YOU ASKED
Tvo Bjóra,
Barkeep
Words: Josie Gaitens
Photo: Art Bicnick
My wife is Icelandic and recently gave
birth to our first son. I am British but
both my parents are from Myanmar.
Is our son the first Iceland-Myanmar
mix-breed? How would we find out?
Mazel tov on the birth of your
beautif u l, bright-eyed f inancia l
burden! We’re happy to assist with your
endeavor—just send over any relevant
passports, bank details and social
security numbers and we should have
the results back to you in eight to ten
working days.
Is Iceland like the supermarket?
During my student days I was known
for doing my booze shopping at Iceland
the supermarket, where you could
buy two bottles of lurid pink Jacques
cider for a whopping five whole British
pounds. I was such a lightweight that
this was all I required for a night of
partying. By way of comparison, two
vodka-lemonades at a Reykjavík bar the
other night cost me 4,000 ISK (25 GBP).
A girl could weep.
What’s the best way for foreigners to
learn Icelandic that doesn’t involve
living in Iceland continuously?
There are a number of resources
available for the Icelandophiles out
there. The university has free online
courses (icelandiconline.is) and it’s
worth searching for Icelandic language
material on both learning site Memrise
as well as notorious time-wasting
hotground YouTube. An app called Drops
teaches Icelandic vocabulary, although
not grammer. As a result, I can now
list off a range of breakfast foods and
have even learned the word for ‘train
station’—highly useful in this country,
let me tell you—but cannot yet form a
single sentence. The longest phrase I
can say in Icelandic is ‘tvo bjóra’ and
frankly that is just a matter of survival.
Send your unsolvable (UNTIL NOW )
problems to editor@grapevine.is or
tweet us at @rvkgrapevine.
Two EVE Online players, chilling and having fun
Nine members of the Ten Man Brass Band
Austurmörk 21
Hveragerði
listasafnarnesinga.is
14.06. | 15.09.
Open daily 12-6 pm
Free admission
Only 40 min. drive from
Reykjavik -on the
Golden Circle
ICELAND
MUSEUM AWARD
2018
GIFT
PEOPLE
TO
THE
THE
ICEWEAR STORES
REYKJAVÍK • KÓPAVOGUR
AKUREYRI • VÍK Í MÝRDAL
VESTMANNAEYJAR
WEBSTORE ICEWEAR.IS
The House at Eyrarbakki
Opening hours:
May 1st - September 30th
daily 11.00-18.00
or by an agreement
Tel: +354 483 1504 & +354 483 1082
info@byggdasafn.is
byggdasafn.is
Árnessýsla Heritage Museum is located in Húsið, the House,
historical home of the Danish merchants built in 1765. Húsið
is one of the oldest houses in Iceland and a beautiful monu-
ment of Eyrarbakki´s time as the biggest trading place on
the south coast.
Today one can enjoy exhibitions about the story and culture of
the region, famous piano, shawl made out of human hair and
the kings pot, are among items. Húsið prides itself with warm
and homelike atmosphere.