Is EIB slowly becoming obsolete?

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Me thinks my original point has been lost like bits and bytes through the Interweb hourglass.

 

This thread was meant to be a commentary on the trend of people building to centurion standards from the get-go, not a cry to dump EIB.

 

Of late I have noted a recent spate of troopers who only sign up to FISD to get their EIB. I view this as a positive sign that EIB is slowly moving beyond the "FISD obsessive build thread trooper" to folks who just want to look better... rather than relish in our forum community. Not a bad sign at all.

 

Aloha,

 

-Eric

[Daetrin[Admin]]

It's a sign of success that people are going Centurion out of the gate. For many troopers, going Centurion is not that much extra effort over EI, at least for some of the variations (folding stock on an EU trooper being an exception).

 

However EI is very important for existing troopers who need a path to pimp out their suits or future proof them. It's not just FISD, but in other detachments that what is today the EI/deployed standard becomes tomorrow, the base CRL. This happens perhaps every what - 5 years or so?

 

I would agree that the standards should really only change once a year at most, else it's too much of a moving target for our members. Ideally we'd back such a rule in to our SOP.

[Techne[TK]]

This is very interesting to me. As a newbie, I originally planned to go right for Centurion, partly because I regarded EIB as a "halfway" step, so in that sense I kind of agreed with the OP that maybe in the long run the EIB might not be necessary. Although of course the comparative number of people with EIB and Centurion speak for themselves in terms of how much desire there is to reach one or the other.

 

But having read some of the comments, now I see the two categories a bit differently. I am personally probably more interested in the armor as a real life version of a fantasy object than I am in exactly replicating the exact method of prop construction. So as I start to build my armor, I may find myself drawn to dropping the stuff that chips away at the suspension of disbelief, as MisterFubar put it. We'll see; I'll have to look at all the details from a new perspective now. (I still have weeks and weeks to go before it even arrives, so plenty of time to ponder all this!)

[David Aicher]

Even though the Centurion looks great, and a lot of members go for that, I think the EIB is still necessary for new members that want an awesome kit but can't afford to go Centurion right away. I also think that the EIB program should be an important step everybody needs to do before they try Centurion. That way if they want to be Centurion and for some reason can't finish they can still advance their upgrade as an EIB.

[Whitestuff[TK]]

I also think that the EIB program should be an important step everybody needs to do before they try Centurion.

 

Ditto! EIB is an important step on the way to centurion. And looking at the numbers of EIBs compared to Centurions it is not just a step to take on the way but also the final goal for many members.

[LadyInWhite[TK]]

I am wondering if the real question behind the question isn't about having EIB become standard, since it is so easy for new members to attain at this point?

[Locitus[Admin]]

I am wondering if the real question behind the question isn't about having EIB become standard, since it is so easy for new members to attain at this point?

I hope we can do that some day.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

For a new person hitting Centurion isn't much more than EI. However the reason I created EI was more as a guide and encouragement for existing members to upgrade their suits, and to set a bar that new people would hit out of the gate, thus creating for new people a higher bar than base.

 

33% of MEPD is deployed. Only what - 15% of FISD is EI? When we have 800 EIB then yeah perhaps it's time to increase the standards, but until then it's pretty silly really. Yes, there are places like the UKG and perhaps Nordic which do better than average, but that's not helping the other 500 TK's worldwide get to EI.

[TK-42779[501st]]

For a new person hitting Centurion isn't much more than EI. However the reason I created EI was more as a guide and encouragement for existing members to upgrade their suits, and to set a bar that new people would hit out of the gate, thus creating for new people a higher bar than base.

 

33% of MEPD is deployed. Only what - 15% of FISD is EI? When we have 800 EIB then yeah perhaps it's time to increase the standards, but until then it's pretty silly really. Yes, there are places like the UKG and perhaps Nordic which do better than average, but that's not helping the other 500 TK's worldwide get to EI.

 

I always interpreted EIB as just that, a way to encourage old suits of armor to be upgraded to keep up with the improved versions. I'm still expanding my knowledge of the various makers but I know my RT came pretty much EIB ready. It just doesn't make sense for me not to go Centurion. Lol I would be only the second to have Centurion in my Garrison though which really blows me away.

[Locitus[Admin]]

For a new person hitting Centurion isn't much more than EI. However the reason I created EI was more as a guide and encouragement for existing members to upgrade their suits, and to set a bar that new people would hit out of the gate, thus creating for new people a higher bar than base.

 

33% of MEPD is deployed. Only what - 15% of FISD is EI? When we have 800 EIB then yeah perhaps it's time to increase the standards, but until then it's pretty silly really. Yes, there are places like the UKG and perhaps Nordic which do better than average, but that's not helping the other 500 TK's worldwide get to EI.

You might be right. But raising the requirements helps the next 500 future members reach EI, by using that as the baseline.

 

As for the garrison, NG became what it is by internally promoting accuracy and showing new members or old members with new costumes where to find good info and encourage them to go beyond basics. Do this for a few years and you have a large bank of excellent costumes that sets the garrison baseline and a huge amount on in-garrison knowledge.

[DarthBrute[TK]]

Everyone has a different level of commitment. When I first joined I just wanted to be approved. So I did some of the eib just to add detail but my TK was still just the baseline. Now I am doing the TKC and I am going straight for EIB.

 

As I work on my costumes I get a little better. And thus I want to increase my own standards. Some also want to do the same.

 

Some people just have a different level of commitment and I believe by increasing that baseline we may drive off new members. Keep the stepping stones. It helps people have a drive to improve overall.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I was encouraged to aim for centurion at the start by a fellow member at my local garrison, only a few mods and some extra bits to buy, so really I did kind off skip over EIB, even though I had to apply for it. Some like the challenge of reaching each level and do it one level at a time which is great but I am still glad I learnt all I could and built for centurion. Do I think I could of built for even more screen accuracy, the answer is yes so should there be another level over centurion, something to consider.

[Cyber Bishop]

I know eventually I would like to move up to the Centurion level.. I for one would love a new more accurate bucket to start, however right now finances are what is holding me back.. Quite a few more important things going on in my families life right now... But one day I do hope to get to that status.