As some of you may or may not know, I returned to playing EvE after being gone for over a year. My previous experience dealt with lowsec and highsec both. Lowsec was as a pirate, explorer, and FW participant while highsec was as a carebear miner, industrialist, missioner, and explorer. There were two months I spent living in a wormhole somewhere during that time. This experience took place on two separate accounts. I belonged in various corporations during that time and two alliances; TEARS and a now nonexistent lowsec alliance. I’m telling you this not only so you understand my point of view on certain matters, but so you have some idea of the my play style.
With that in mind, I would like to discuss my feelings on the CSM. The December minutes disturbed me for a number of reasons. The main reason being that the CSM is dominated by nullsec players. Regardless if they have highsec/lowsec alt characters, the majority of the current CSM have staked interest in nullsec with little to no reason to suggest any change unless it benefits them. This is readily seen when reading the minutes and the “advice” the CSM gave to CCP in all matters.
It is especially visible when it came down to discussing lowsec and Faction Warfare as a testing ground for any future sov mechanics before implementing them in nullsec. Really? The CSM supposedly listened to and read post from current lowsec/ FW players and they thought this was a good idea? It has been my experience that lowsec dwellers are there to have freedom. Freedom not only from the restrictions of highsec mechanics, but also freedom from the nullsec style of playing. Yet the CSM wants to change that to make it more like nullsec for some reason. And CCP actually agreed with them. This showed me once again that CCP is disconnected from certain portions of the player base.
But wasn’t the point of the CSM to let CCP stay connected with the player base; all sections of the player base and not just the nullsec players? This will not happen unless CCP does something to change the way CSM candidates are elected. Nullsec power blocs will continue to dominate the CSM to the exclusion of lowsec/highsec representatives purely because they can bring a solid group of votes for whomever they put forth. I personally like the suggestion of 2/2/2/1 representation someone put forth on the forums. Two representatives from each high, low, and nullsec with one representative from wormhole dwellers.
Now, some folks will say “Then the highsec and lowsec players need to better organize themselves and get behind a couple of candidates.”, which is true and I agree with. Problem is the majority of these players do not even know what the CSM is. I spent time over the past couple of days traveling in game throughout the majority of the highly populated highsec mission hubs asking if anyone knew what the CSM was and to x-up in local. I usually only got a handful of x’s and a lot of people asking what it was. As for lowsec, well its very underpopulated but I asked when I found people. Only a few of those asked knew what I was talking about.
One reason for this, I believe, is that most of those players do not care about the meta game aspect of EvE. Most of those players do not visit the official forums if they visit any EvE related forums at all. Where as the meta game aspect is one of the things that draws nullsec players to nullsec. CCP needs to bring the CSM and its elections to the attention of more players in a direct way outside of a couple of days advertising during the elections. Send an in game mail to all players notifying them about the upcoming candidate process and subsequent elections including a link to the relevant Dev Blog or forum post. Advertise it a lot more often on the character select screen news feed and login screen. Something, anything to get more players involved in the process. Until CCP actively brings the CSM to the attention of the players as something they should care about, the CSM will never live up to the potential it could be while nullsec power blocs whisper suggestions to CCP.
The last CSM I actively cared about was CSM 5 before I left the game. That CSM had, what I consider, a good mix of representatives from all play styles and viewpoints. One of the things that soured me to the game then was the way that CCP treated them and suggestions put forth by the CSM. But something back then that the CSM did include was accountability to the players. There was no hiding who gave what opinions or how anyone voted. Everything was transparent to the players. The current CSM is keeping everything hidden. There is little to no accountability for individual members on their votes, suggestions, or opinions in the December minutes.
I have read how it was supposedly difficult to figure out which member said what on the video/audio recording of the minutes. I call bullshit on that. There are to many differences in not only regional but international pronunciations of words to not be able to tell who said what. On top of that, for supposedly talking on voice comms so much between each other, you should have easily been able to tell the difference between each other speaking. Anyone who has spent any amount of time talking to people over the various voice communication programs out there knows that it only takes a short time before you can tell people apart and know who is who strictly by their voice.
The way the December minutes came out allowed any member of the CSM to either take credit for or deny an opinion recorded therein. Unless this is changed soon, this precedent allows the CSM to do pretty much anything they want, put forth any opinion they want, to push their own personal agenda without voters having a means to really call them on it.
It is my opinion that the current CSM has sever problems when it comes to representing the players as a whole. None of the current members should be re-elected given that some already stated they do not care about anything but putting forth their own nullsec agenda, the active lack of transparency from all members, and the fact that they showed little to no knowledge of what players outside of nullsec really want pushed forward to CCP even after supposedly listening to those players.
January 31, 2012 | Categories: Commentary | Tags: csm | 2 Comments »
I debated long and hard about starting this blog back up after being gone for so long. Having recently returned to EvE, I was not sure if I wanted to put forth the effort into keeping a regularly updated blog, writing fiction, and staying in touch with the ongoing changes in the game. After spending roughly a month playing again, I decided to give it another go.
Upon returning, one of the first things that I noticed was how many of my favorite bloggers had moved on much like I myself had. Mynxee is gone, though still keeping tabs on the game. (I see you lurking on various forums.) Shae Tiann is, hopefully, enjoying her new job and I wish her the best of luck. Escoce seems to have fallen off the face of the universe. Crazy Kinux moved on as well with a new job and I wish him the best of luck (even though it is late in coming). And soon to be, the Eve Players Blog portal will be coming down. It will be missed by many I am sure. Myself being one of them as it kept me in touch with the game even when I wasn’t playing. These are just a few that have moved on to other things.
I also realized that a lot of those blogs I loved to read are still here and ultimately helped me decide that returning to writing was something I should continue. Not for the readership per se, though I hope they enjoy what I write, but for myself.
Recently, there were a couple of occurrences which brought to light perceived favoritism CCP had towards the various player media outlets (blogs, podcast, and websites) which caused some rumblings within the community. One question came to mind when I read the various posts and comments about it. Who do you write/podcast/v-cast for besides yourself? Those are the only people you need concern yourself with to my way of thinking. If CCP decides to turn the spotlight on you for whatever reason then awesome. If they don’t though and instead highlight someone else, does it really matter to those who regularly read, watch, or listen to you? Being one of those unknown listeners/ readers/ watchers myself I can tell you it doesn’t. You do not lose any credibility because of it. We the audience will not lessen our appreciation of your works for lack of a spotlight from CCP. We enjoy everything you put the effort into creating even if we do not necessarily agree with the message contained therein.
I guess what I am trying to say is keep doing what you are doing. It is the vibrant community of EvE that brings a lot of us back and keeps even more of us still playing year after year. Every time we lose an active member within the EvE online community it diminishes us as a whole. The only thing I hope for is someone else will be there to pick up the torch and keep the light shining.
January 23, 2012 | Categories: Commentary | 1 Comment »
0geauxtiger0
The CSM and Problems
As some of you may or may not know, I returned to playing EvE after being gone for over a year. My previous experience dealt with lowsec and highsec both. Lowsec was as a pirate, explorer, and FW participant while highsec was as a carebear miner, industrialist, missioner, and explorer. There were two months I spent living in a wormhole somewhere during that time. This experience took place on two separate accounts. I belonged in various corporations during that time and two alliances; TEARS and a now nonexistent lowsec alliance. I’m telling you this not only so you understand my point of view on certain matters, but so you have some idea of the my play style.
With that in mind, I would like to discuss my feelings on the CSM. The December minutes disturbed me for a number of reasons. The main reason being that the CSM is dominated by nullsec players. Regardless if they have highsec/lowsec alt characters, the majority of the current CSM have staked interest in nullsec with little to no reason to suggest any change unless it benefits them. This is readily seen when reading the minutes and the “advice” the CSM gave to CCP in all matters.
It is especially visible when it came down to discussing lowsec and Faction Warfare as a testing ground for any future sov mechanics before implementing them in nullsec. Really? The CSM supposedly listened to and read post from current lowsec/ FW players and they thought this was a good idea? It has been my experience that lowsec dwellers are there to have freedom. Freedom not only from the restrictions of highsec mechanics, but also freedom from the nullsec style of playing. Yet the CSM wants to change that to make it more like nullsec for some reason. And CCP actually agreed with them. This showed me once again that CCP is disconnected from certain portions of the player base.
But wasn’t the point of the CSM to let CCP stay connected with the player base; all sections of the player base and not just the nullsec players? This will not happen unless CCP does something to change the way CSM candidates are elected. Nullsec power blocs will continue to dominate the CSM to the exclusion of lowsec/highsec representatives purely because they can bring a solid group of votes for whomever they put forth. I personally like the suggestion of 2/2/2/1 representation someone put forth on the forums. Two representatives from each high, low, and nullsec with one representative from wormhole dwellers.
Now, some folks will say “Then the highsec and lowsec players need to better organize themselves and get behind a couple of candidates.”, which is true and I agree with. Problem is the majority of these players do not even know what the CSM is. I spent time over the past couple of days traveling in game throughout the majority of the highly populated highsec mission hubs asking if anyone knew what the CSM was and to x-up in local. I usually only got a handful of x’s and a lot of people asking what it was. As for lowsec, well its very underpopulated but I asked when I found people. Only a few of those asked knew what I was talking about.
One reason for this, I believe, is that most of those players do not care about the meta game aspect of EvE. Most of those players do not visit the official forums if they visit any EvE related forums at all. Where as the meta game aspect is one of the things that draws nullsec players to nullsec. CCP needs to bring the CSM and its elections to the attention of more players in a direct way outside of a couple of days advertising during the elections. Send an in game mail to all players notifying them about the upcoming candidate process and subsequent elections including a link to the relevant Dev Blog or forum post. Advertise it a lot more often on the character select screen news feed and login screen. Something, anything to get more players involved in the process. Until CCP actively brings the CSM to the attention of the players as something they should care about, the CSM will never live up to the potential it could be while nullsec power blocs whisper suggestions to CCP.
The last CSM I actively cared about was CSM 5 before I left the game. That CSM had, what I consider, a good mix of representatives from all play styles and viewpoints. One of the things that soured me to the game then was the way that CCP treated them and suggestions put forth by the CSM. But something back then that the CSM did include was accountability to the players. There was no hiding who gave what opinions or how anyone voted. Everything was transparent to the players. The current CSM is keeping everything hidden. There is little to no accountability for individual members on their votes, suggestions, or opinions in the December minutes.
I have read how it was supposedly difficult to figure out which member said what on the video/audio recording of the minutes. I call bullshit on that. There are to many differences in not only regional but international pronunciations of words to not be able to tell who said what. On top of that, for supposedly talking on voice comms so much between each other, you should have easily been able to tell the difference between each other speaking. Anyone who has spent any amount of time talking to people over the various voice communication programs out there knows that it only takes a short time before you can tell people apart and know who is who strictly by their voice.
The way the December minutes came out allowed any member of the CSM to either take credit for or deny an opinion recorded therein. Unless this is changed soon, this precedent allows the CSM to do pretty much anything they want, put forth any opinion they want, to push their own personal agenda without voters having a means to really call them on it.
It is my opinion that the current CSM has sever problems when it comes to representing the players as a whole. None of the current members should be re-elected given that some already stated they do not care about anything but putting forth their own nullsec agenda, the active lack of transparency from all members, and the fact that they showed little to no knowledge of what players outside of nullsec really want pushed forward to CCP even after supposedly listening to those players.
January 31, 2012 | Categories: Commentary | Tags: csm | 2 Comments »