I received word that Agony Unleashed will be holding a PVP-Advanced class at the end of March, and I figured it was about time to give it a go. I have been waiting for the more advanced classes after taking the PVP-BASIC and PVP-Wolfpacks. I have been very impressed with the quality of the classes and I highly recommended them if you want to learn the concepts of PVP.
A little bit about the classes: The registration (at least for PVP Basic and Wolfpacks) is very hard to get in. If you want to register, go to their forums and read all of the very detailed instructions in the Enrollment section, sign up for an account with their forums, and after doing all of that, make sure you’re there to register at the EXACT time the class opens. If you wait too long, the class will be full. They can fill up in a matter of minutes for the more popular ones like the BASIC course.
The classes are very affordable. PVP Basic is currently 12 million, which is peanuts for what you get, roughly 8 hours or more of instruction + roam time with very experienced instructors and fleet commanders (FC). When I did the first two classes, they were 8 to 9 hours long in one day. Now Agony has split the classes into two days, and I must say that’s a great improvement as it was VERY long sitting in front of a PC for 8 to 9 hours of instruction + roam. They give you breaks of course, but it was still too long. So a split class will be a marked improvement in my opinion.
After you have successfully registered (and paid), you have to wait roughly a week, and they enable you access to the course materials. The course materials are well written, and as you progress through the classes, you have access to previous classes’ course materials for review before the next class. And that access stays with you through your whole Agony learning experience. After the class, you also get noted as a graduate, which you could potentially use as you are recruited into new corporations. Obviously to some this may be required, some may scorn it, in fact very similar to the way Microsoft certifications are treated in the IT industry. For me, any learning experience is welcomed, and I’m not worried about the paper at the end so much. It’s nice to know you proved you took the class, but not everyone cares about that.
I would have to point out that the classes are in no way a replacement for actual PVP. You need to get out there and get practical experience by flying and dying, and the classes teach you the basic concepts, and the roams teach you a world of information about how to interact in a fleet with a real fleet commander. These are all important things to know as you move toward a career in PVP.
So in sum, highly recommended. Caldak, my FC for both roams, was beyond a doubt one of the most amazing fleet commanders I have flown with yet. Dr. Oozy was the instructor both times in 2009. Not sure who the instructor will be for this course, but I’m sure it will be someone with a great deal of experience. Agony instructors and FCs are not only just for the classes, they actually are PVPers who fly with Agony Empire, so they have the practical experience to back them up.
In case you are one of those that likes the paper proof at the end of the day, here’s mine:
PVP-BASIC Graduates – May 23, 2009 and PVP-WOLFPACK Graduates – June, 2009