Revision as of 13:38, 10 December 2008

Who is Agony

Agony Unleashed, and the associated one-corp alliance, Agony Empire are a dedicated group of PvP players based in Pure Blind. Known primarily as a teaching corporation, Agony teaches around 200 students a month. The typical student has little or no PvP or 0.0 experience, and the "PvP-BASIC" class is a crash course in game mechanics which terminates with a 3 hour roaming gang - usually involving much death and destruction.

More information can be obtained from the Agony Unleashed website.

Genesis

At the beginning of 2006, Agony was an idea consisting of a handful of players who wanted to teach the basics of pvp to the paying public of EVE. Most said it couldn't be done, it was doomed to fail, or that it was a bad idea. They were wrong. Within a year, Agony had evolved from an insignificant idea, to a serious and unique pvp force in EVE in addition to providing a service to the public and decimating and frustrating its opponents with precise coordination, disciplined teamwork, and an arsenal of tactics both conventional and unique.

The Core

Agony did not achieve its greatness by chance, but rather by the hard work and dedication of the people who put their blood and sweat, their laughs and tears, and their heart and soul into pushing Agony and all of its members as high as they could, and then they pushed further! They are volunteers; they are leaders; they are innovators; they are inspirer's; they are team players; they are self-starters; they are "The Core" of Agony.

These people are the ones who truly make a difference. Many of them are key to maintaining Agony. Some have been invaluable to the evolution of Agony. Others have done both.

Maintaining

Some examples are people who help with building all of the mods, ammo, and ships that everyone uses and who coordinate logistics. They are key to maintaining Agony. Furthermore, Agony could not go on without Squadron Leaders, PVP-U instructors and assistants, the directors and leadership, mentors, and Gang-Leaders who plan frequent gangs, and other volunteers. The people who contribute to Agony in ways such as these and more, are key members in the maintenance of Agony.

Evolving

Others have played vital roles in the progression, development, and evolution of Agony and its members. Some of these people include developers of corp seminars, innovation of tactics from fly-bys to "fishing", mixed fleet tactics, bubble tactics, the "durka trap", dual-logistics, harassment gangs, and more! Others have done planning and execution of major corp-wide operations from Operation Baldar which lead to the fall of one of Agony's long-time enemies in Pure Blind, to Operation Argus, and several mercenary contracts and field trips. It includes those who have assisted members in the acquisition of capital ships and the development of Agony's capital ship program. Agony would not have evolved as far as it has thus far without efforts such as these and others.

This is the Core...

These are examples of "The Core" of Agony. They exemplify the spirit of Agony by leading, or volunteering, or cooperating, or developing, or organizing, or maintaining the many facets of Agony. No one forced them to put the effort they have into maintaining and evolving Agony. They have done this because they wanted to... because they viewed Agony as their family.

Killers

Additionally, everyone is also a bloodthirsty pvper. Everyone is a part of the killing part of Agony. To have fun defeating your opponent (sometimes through psychological means, not only through killing) is a reason for joining Agony that is shared in common by everyone in Agony.

A Different Kind of Focus on Recruitment

Traditionally, the focus of recruitment has been to increase the number of active corp members to make pvp easier. With more active members available to pvp at nearly any time of the day, forming up gangs and having enough people to take on a good sized opposing force is easier. However, Agony has reached the point where one can log on at most times of the day and have 20 to 30 corp members online and enough members available for a roaming pvp gang. However, a recruitment focus only on numbers can bring in in a lot of "deadwood" members as well. With fewer "Core" members maintaining and driving a corp or alliance forward, it can become increasingly difficult to provide for the "deadwood" members.

Quality > Quantity

For these reasons and others, Agony's recruitment focus is on quality over quantity. This has nothing to do with skill points or pvp experience. Rather, its the difference between someone who really cares about the group as if it were family, and those who treat it as just another place to go pvp when their bored and doesn't really care where Agony is going or how they can be a part of shaping it. Its the difference between being "Agony in spirit" and being "Agony in name." We are looking for those who like pvping and want to maintain and evolve Agony through leadership, volunteering, innovation, inspiration, management, planning and organization, and in whatever ways they can and, in general, making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen. We are looking for proactive people.

But I'm a newer player. I can't fly many ships well and don't have much money.

For further clarification, this has nothing to do with in-game assets, wealth, skill points, or skills as a pvper. A 40m sp billionaire can be a "deadwood" member while a 4m sp newbie frig member can be a vital and wanted proactive member in Agony. Its about attitude and a want and willingness to make things happen to maintain and evolve Agony.

If you are confused about this concept and would like clarification, then please pm Sever Aldaria on the main Agony website at www.agony-unleashed.com

Trial Periods

The Ensign Trial Period

New Agony members, Ensigns, are given a one month period to see if they are right for Agony. Are they active? Do they get along well with others? If the answer to both is yes, they may be promoted to a Lieutenant and will be given an additional time period to see if they are proactive members that really care about Agony.

The Lieutenant Trial Period

All new Agony members will have a two month trial period during which they must attain the title of both Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenant must be reached within the first month (The Ensign Trial Period). Lieutenant Commander needs to be reached within 2 months after joining Agony. If they are "Core" or potentially "Core" members then they will have been promoted to Lieutenant Commander or higher within their first two months in Agony which has not been a difficult feat by any means for current Agony members. If a member is still a lieutenant after being a member of Agony for 2 months, then a decision will be made between the Squadron Leaders and Senior Leadership of whether that person is not needed in Agony and is asked to leave, or whether that person is someone good to have and is promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Senior Leadership reserves the right to extend time periods if needed on a case by case basis.

Simply Put

• Ensigns will have a 1 month trial period to be promoted to Lieutenant as usual.

• Ensigns will have a 2 month trial period to be promoted to lieutenant and then to Lieutenant Commander or higher.

• If you really care about making a difference in Agony and not limiting yourself to only being "just another ship" in a pvp gang, then you won't have to worry.

• Its no good for those seeing this as a requirement they have to live up to. Rather, being a proactive member and making things happen is something they have to want themselves. They will live up to it themselves because they want to.

• If theres something specific you'd like to do then let us know and then do it!

The Agony Philosophy

This is the philosophy that makes Agony a very efficient and coordinated group of proactive and fun players who really care about each other and are willing to put their heart and soul into Agony with the time they have available to them. Those who just want to log in to a pvp gang waiting for them and go killing and aren't willing to share the load or contribute to evolution of Agony, an effort that is both fun and satisfying to Agony members, won't be kept as long-term members. Its not that the "deadwood" members aren't good people or fun to socialize with, but Agony has enough numbers for fun and pvp and we aren't looking for those who want to be "just another number."