Another year come and gone. I could do a year in a review for CCP, but I’m sure we all know everything that’s happened.
Instead, I’m simply going to talk about our great Eve community, and why Eve is dead.
53,981 visits were logged to my humble blog on Dec 24th and Dec 25th of this year.
Those were the two days I gave away my four previous Eve Online inspired albums, as well as a bonus Christmas album. I can’t tell you the statistics on how many downloads there were, but I can tell you my dropbox died in 13 minutes, resulting in a 3 day account suspension. There was such a volume that I had to send out a cry for help to my fans, which resulted in two unlimited bandwidth servers being made available in short order, as well as a premium Rapidshare account. That seemed to satisfy the hungered lust of the Eve players.
Since then, I’ve done searches on torrent sites and other music sharing platforms, and now see my music everywhere: over two year’s worth of personal effort out there for the masses to enjoy.
I have no regrets about that. I’m glad it’s being listened to.
So how is Eve dead? It’s not. It’s a sarcastic title. Eve is very much alive.
Almost 54,000 visits to one small Eve fansite, only advertised via my Twitter account and the EVE Online Facebook page. That’s frickin insane if you think about it from a ratio perspective. If there are roughly 350,000 players, and 54,000 are interested enough in all things Eve to find out about my giveaway, that’s nearly 20% of the entire Eve playerbase! Eve has the most active and fanatical community I’ve ever seen! I mean seriously! If ever there had been that many purchases of my music from iTunes, Zune, Amazon, or any of the other 30 digital distributors I am promoted on, I could’ve had my mortgage paid off by now and focused on everything Roc Wieler full time, but noooo, you greedy bastards decided $10 per album to support someone creating custom music for you was just too much, and instead devoured it only when it was free!
I kid, but still, geez…
I’m just rambling now, so I guess I’ll wrap this up with what I could’ve TL;DR from the beginning:
Happy New Year, from me to all of you. I’m proud to share New Eden with each of you.
PS. Because of the giveaway, one Eve player commissioned me to do a theme for the Caldari State Protectorate, the capsuleer military division of the Caldari State. I successfully completed the commission yesterday, and have been given permission to share it with all of you. Enjoy!
PPS. If you want to help me out and know any professional gaming or film companies looking for a music composer, send them my way. 
“We are the State, and we have claimed our long-lost homeland. Now we are at war; united, whole and full of fire and purpose. The State calls you, capsuleer, for it needs your strength and your leadership to fend off the encroaching Gallente menace. The State will not fall. Join us. Fight. Conquer.” —State Protectorate corporate description
CLICK HERE to download the Caldari State Protectorate theme.
PPPS. And just as I was saving this post, my email rang. WordPress sent me my ANNUAL BLOG REPORT. It seems to not include the last week or so of activity, which is unfortunate, but I figure we’ll include the report, just for fun!
ROC'S RAMBLINGS 
I have bought your music and enjoy it almost every day. Eve or no Eve, but your storytelling through the sound is one of the best I heard. Honestly, when I listen to the Caldary theme from YC113 it brings tears to my eyes for some reason.
I am sorry to hear that so many EvE fans did not consider your work worthy to pay for, shame on them I guess, because it is worth its price and more. There is just no way to control what is available online and people are shameless when it comes to freebies.
I have quit EvE Online (again), for personal reason, the game is still fine. But your music will remain on my iPod for the future when i need some inspirtation during a workout or a hard day at work, it is that good.
Keep it up and please make more music like that.
Ah, THIS is what Caldari sounded to me. Great work. I myself am on the Zune software, and you’re right. It’s time to put my money where my mouth is and get the whole album.
I’ll check out and maybe by your music one day, when I have the money.
“If you want to help me out and know any professional gaming or film companies looking for a music composer, send them my way.”
Aqua Vitae – Future World Music
The composer from Command&Conquer Generals
Composer: Bill Brown
I hope this help but if is not enough thats all I got… sorry guys
I, for one, hadn’t seen anything about the album – I’m not part of that entirely-too-devoted fanbase … I’m just a player. I figured, however, that if that many people were grabbing up the album, it must be good. So, have however much of the proceeds that Amazon pays you and know that now that I’m better than half way through the album, I’m not the least bit sorry I spent the money.
How about collaberating with some of the more serious youtube makers such as http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyPew ? His site labels him as a producer… Just a thought.
ps. i missed the album due to the lock out but I didn’t know about you before Eve’s facebook told me.
I unfortunately did not know of your works before the announcement on EVE’s FB page, and I also missed the giveaway because I forgot to check back after getting the dropbox overload message. However, knowing they have been put up on torrents, I’ll look into them. If I like the music, I’ll buy it via Amazon. If I don’t, oh well, you neither lost nor gained a customer.
Just listened to your song, big smile on face 🙂 i went straight to itunes searched for your music and bought one night of roc straight away 😀
ok EVE is not dead just limping around like a wounded animal slowly bleeding out.
EVE Online is hemeraging players. This is peek time mid winter and just 34,000 players logged on at what is suposed to be its ultimate peek time.
Lets not go into how many 2,3 or 4 account holding players are included in that total. Actual bums on seats so to speak is very small conpaired to other MMO’s
So no EVE Online is not dead you are correct, but it is motaly wounded and slowly fading away.
Eve may not be dead but it is to me…regardless, but I paid for your albums and love them. The music stands alone, excellent in its own right with no need of the EVE IP connection to have a reason to exist. Bravo, my dear! And Happy New Year.
Megaupload died 😦 and somehow I seem to have deleted the CaldariTheme. ouch!
Any suggestions as to where I could put it instead?
Ok, giving mediafire a try. Should be able to download now.
Great music Roc. I torn between the “Republic & Empire X up” and your funeral lol. I’ll be posting a blog on how you made such a epic album. On the online piracy, well that kinda sucks. Fly safe Colonel 07.
Oh yeah, I did buy your music via Amazon 🙂