The Curious Case of K Bifstik

Sugar Kyle just did two blog posts about the EVE bounty system (and added a not so subtle hint that I should stop being lazy and post about what happened) so here it is.

It all started about 1 week ago when Patrick Kasper piped up in the R1FTA public channel.

[ 2013.07.08 09:06:52 ] Patrick Kasper > guys

[ 2013.07.08 09:06:56 ] Patrick Kasper > i need some explanation

[ 2013.07.08 09:06:59 ] Patrick Kasper > anyone here?

[ 2013.07.08 09:09:31 ] Naoru Kozan > sup

[ 2013.07.08 09:09:42 ] Patrick Kasper > so a guy asked me to blow up his cyclone

[ 2013.07.08 09:09:57 ] Patrick Kasper > because he wanted to get rid of 5m bounty

[ 2013.07.08 09:10:16 ] Naoru Kozan > go hard (but have backup waiting)

[ 2013.07.08 09:10:17 ] Patrick Kasper > he was dead serious as he didnt shoot back

[ 2013.07.08 09:10:20 ] Patrick Kasper > http://r1der.eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=18613253

[ 2013.07.08 09:10:25 ] Patrick Kasper > he is already dead

[ 2013.07.08 09:10:29 ] Patrick Kasper > but explain me this

[ 2013.07.08 09:11:20 ] Patrick Kasper > in my book that is more than 25m isk

[ 2013.07.08 09:11:28 ] Naoru Kozan > K Bifstik

[ 2013.07.08 09:11:36 ] Naoru Kozan > just place a 40 mil bounty on him XD

[ 2013.07.08 09:11:51 ] Patrick Kasper > LOL

[ 2013.07.08 09:11:58 ] Patrick Kasper > best thing

[ 2013.07.08 09:12:04 ] Patrick Kasper > ingame the mail is only worth 85m

[ 2013.07.08 09:12:14 ] Patrick Kasper > IF he comes back and lets me kill him again

[ 2013.07.08 09:12:21 ] Patrick Kasper > i'll give you half the loot

[ 2013.07.08 09:12:48 ] Naoru Kozan > omg he just convoed me

A confused K Bifstik sends me a private convo.

 

[ 2013.07.08 09:12:49 ] K Bifstik > May I ask what this is about?

[ 2013.07.08 09:13:09 ] Naoru Kozan > i think you look like a rather shady character

[ 2013.07.08 09:13:24 ] K Bifstik > And you've seen me where?

[ 2013.07.08 09:13:33 ] Naoru Kozan > saw you in local

[ 2013.07.08 09:13:57 ] Naoru Kozan > didn't like the cut of your jib

[ 2013.07.08 09:14:23 ] K Bifstik > Nautical phrase.  Local where?

[ 2013.07.08 09:14:35 ] Naoru Kozan > oh in the local chat window

[ 2013.07.08 09:15:23 ] K Bifstik > Seems to be a rather capricious use of ISK

[ 2013.07.08 09:15:38 ] Naoru Kozan > kind of

[ 2013.07.08 09:15:47 ] Naoru Kozan > but it did amuse me

[ 2013.07.08 09:16:10 ] K Bifstik > Two can play this game you know

[ 2013.07.08 09:16:26 ] Naoru Kozan > wear the bounty like a badge of pride

[ 2013.07.08 09:17:46 ] K Bifstik > My "hobby" is to help new players get started -- and they won't let me help when I have a bounty.  Your amusement is more important than that?

[ 2013.07.08 09:18:07 ] Naoru Kozan > /emote shrugs

[ 2013.07.08 09:18:16 ] Naoru Kozan > i've given advice to newer players when i have a bounty

[ 2013.07.08 09:18:24 ] Naoru Kozan > didn't make much difference

[ 2013.07.08 09:19:43 ] K Bifstik > Normally I'd offer good luck in parting.  But in this case, it's just thanks for nothing

[ 2013.07.08 09:19:53 ] Naoru Kozan > fly safe

 Meanwhile back in the R1FTA public channel.

[ 2013.07.08 09:18:04 ] Patrick Kasper > i honestly somehow feel sorry for that guy

[ 2013.07.08 09:20:33 ] Naoru Kozan > [09:19:43] K Bifstik > Normally I'd offer good luck in parting.  But in this case, it's just thanks for nothing

[ 2013.07.08 09:20:35 ] Naoru Kozan > awwwwwww

[ 2013.07.08 09:20:50 ] Naoru Kozan > does this make me a bad person?

[ 2013.07.08 09:21:07 ] Patrick Kasper > a bit, yes

I thought that would be the end of this matter....but a few days later I get another private convo from Mr Bifstik.

[ 2013.07.10 09:56:18 ] K Bifstik > good evening.  remember me?

[ 2013.07.10 09:56:24 ] Naoru Kozan > nope

[ 2013.07.10 09:56:33 ] Naoru Kozan > have we met before?

[ 2013.07.10 09:57:30 ] K Bifstik > seems so -- you put  a bounty on me several days ago -- and I could not remember encountering you

[ 2013.07.10 09:58:29 ] Naoru Kozan > ah ok

[ 2013.07.10 09:58:53 ] K Bifstik > and I'm still trying to understand that whole affair

[ 2013.07.10 09:59:12 ] Naoru Kozan > have you seen "Batman Begins"?

[ 2013.07.10 09:59:27 ] K Bifstik > nope

[ 2013.07.10 09:59:38 ] Naoru Kozan > or was that the dark night? sec let me check google

[ 2013.07.10 10:00:08 ] Naoru Kozan > anywho there is a really good line from Alfred in that film

[ 2013.07.10 10:00:12 ] K Bifstik > i understand who the dark knight is

[ 2013.07.10 10:01:04 ] K Bifstik > and the quote is?

[ 2013.07.10 10:01:46 ] Naoru Kozan > Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

[ 2013.07.10 10:02:29 ] K Bifstik > ok, i understand the concept.  to whom are we referring?

[ 2013.07.10 10:02:53 ] Naoru Kozan > you were wondering why i put a bounty on you

[ 2013.07.10 10:03:02 ] K Bifstik > still am

[ 2013.07.10 10:03:26 ] Naoru Kozan > i did it because it amused me at the time

[ 2013.07.10 10:04:29 ] K Bifstik > see, when you did that you said we had encountered each other during a chat session.  but we had never chatted directly so it means you were present during my public chat with someone else

[ 2013.07.10 10:05:00 ] K Bifstik > and i thik i recall when that might have been

[ 2013.07.10 10:06:17 ] K Bifstik > the really curious thing is that numerous bounties are loaded onto my character at the same time by people whom i do not know or have not directly encountered

[ 2013.07.10 10:06:34 ] K Bifstik > like you

[ 2013.07.10 10:07:01 ] Naoru Kozan > mmmhmmm

[ 2013.07.10 10:07:35 ] K Bifstik > see why i'm so curious?

[ 2013.07.10 10:07:53 ] Naoru Kozan > does it really matter?

[ 2013.07.10 10:08:51 ] K Bifstik > well, yes it does.  implies that someone is affecting my game play for reasons unknown or not understood by me.

[ 2013.07.10 10:09:27 ] K Bifstik > and i think you know who that person is

[ 2013.07.10 10:11:22 ] Naoru Kozan > have another 10 mil bounty <3

[ 2013.07.10 10:12:07 ] K Bifstik > and the game continues

[ 2013.07.10 10:13:48 ] K Bifstik > so here's my game plan.  the bounties now come from people who already have high bounties on them, so they are immune from retaliation

[ 2013.07.10 10:14:30 ] K Bifstik > but you, and a couple others who originally participated, have none or low bounty levels

[ 2013.07.10 10:14:50 ] Naoru Kozan > yeah i lost a few ships last night which wiped out my bounty

[ 2013.07.10 10:15:11 ] K Bifstik > so whenever i get a new bounty, i'll add an equivalent amount to your total and those others

[ 2013.07.10 10:15:47 ] K Bifstik > since, of course, it does not really matter to you

[ 2013.07.10 10:16:30 ] Naoru Kozan > nope

[ 2013.07.10 10:16:37 ] Naoru Kozan > having a bounty does not worry me at all

[ 2013.07.10 10:16:59 ] K Bifstik > the bounty system in this game is really deficient and subject to abuse.  but that's the way it is

[ 2013.07.10 10:18:10 ] Naoru Kozan > ok

[ 2013.07.10 10:18:19 ] K Bifstik > bye

[ 2013.07.10 10:18:24 ] Naoru Kozan > o/

Ok, now this is starting to verge onto EVE stalker territory. Two days later I recieve an eve-mail from El Bifsticko.

Congratulations

From: K Bifstik

Sent: 2013.07.11 17:08

To: Naoru Kozan, 

Even though you state that bounties are no big deal, you have eliminated yours.  But if I get another one I'm going to share it with you until I  find out who is at the bottom of my "infestation"

My reply:

Re: Congratulations

From: Naoru Kozan

Sent: 2013.07.12 01:39

To: K Bifstik, 

/shrugs

Losing ships is a hazard of the trade when you pvp. Since the bounty seems so important to you I put another one on you :)

<3

Fly safe o/

5 days later:

 

Hello Again

From: K Bifstik

Sent: 2013.07.17 03:34

To: Naoru Kozan, 

Everyone who contributed to my new bounty load got the same bounty I did.  You're welcome

Then another private convo:

[06:49:30] Naoru Kozan > o/

[06:49:50] K Bifstik > Please let me know when you're ready for more bounty

[06:50:10] Naoru Kozan > have another 30 mil

[06:50:14] Naoru Kozan > ^^

[06:51:03] K Bifstik > Believe me, you will if I will

"He Mad" doesn't really apply anymore. "He unstable" seems way more accurate. I've also learnt through supa sekret intel channels that a certain Tusker has a deal with K Bifstik to help clear his bounty by blowing up his ship. But this unscrupulous individual has been bountying Mr Bifstik on a neutral alt. Guess there are bad apples in every pirate corp :)

Sugar seemed bemused at how easily I throw ISK away. But those few clicks have provided heaps of entertainment. Sure that 100mil or so could have bought a pile of frigates or cruisers....but you can't attach an ISK value to the random human drama you can provoke in this game with a simple mouse click.