Character Created: 2003/08/18
Corp/Alliance: Blueprint Haus/Blades of Grass
Eve Who: Link
Eve-O Forum Posts: Link
zKillboard: Link
My name is Harry Saq and I have been playing Eve on and off since the game was first released. I have quit and renewed my accounts for similar reasons most do (mix of RL and just grrrrr EVE), and have a special place in my heart/excelspreadsheets for this wonderfully frustrating MMO. The thing that has always intrigued me, and continually brought me back was the enormous potential this game has. The reasons I have left and disavowed all loyalty externally was for that potential being squandered (not necessarily intentionally or maliciously).
In other words, I have been through the cycles of love and hate, and made all the mental proclamations and conspiracy claims imaginable to account for the greatness and shortcomings of this game similar to what I am sure most seasoned and even new players have. So instead of offering a litany of nuanced stratagems or wild fantastical hopes and dreams I might have for this that or the other thing this game could do, I would rather like to offer my services as a player facilitator and advocate for quality game change, that focuses on a better experience for us all.
Eve is only a game, however it is a game that dares to throw us all in one universe and offer us the tools to both shape the places we reside, as well as hang ourselves most embarrassingly and painfully. Over the lifespan of Eve CCP has taken many funky steps in various directions to do everything and nothing in an attempt to both commercialize their product to a broader customer base and fulfill all of our wacky idiosyncratic desires (and theirs as well...and some of their desires are kind of scary). Of all that has been said about CCP, it cannot be said that they haven't produced something worthy of attention, and as of late, it can also not be ignored that they are starting to grasp how to actually release the potential this game so promises, through incremental change.
I have seen several topics over the effectiveness and use of the CSM, and I feel some of the more recent trains of thought simply miss the point. Any change process has a development life cycle, and alot of the time catalysts to change are incredibly subtle in their origin and sources of influence. Some see the CSM's place in that lifecycle as the final check box in approving some upcoming release, or an entity that must be listened to during backroom talks and strategy meetings. Some have even lamented over their influence being overshadowed by bloggers and popular websites. Regardless of any stated purpose or intended role the CSM has, implementation of any process always settles into places not planned due to human factors, both in usefulness of those involved and how their messages are carried.
The CSM has been around for awhile, and quite frankly is only as effective, active and useful as those in it. What I plan to bring to the CSM, if elected, is an active reasoned/rational voice whose agenda is to facilitate the change process so that the game remains challenging, engaging, and worth logging into (regardless if my personal preferences are catered to or not). The CSM is as useful as we make it. If we are not included in the conversation, than we must be proactive in seeking out and engaging in the conversations that matter. So rather than lament whether I am being listened to, or whether a release was approved by a council I am on, I will seek to actively represent the player base by presenting the perspective of those that play when the opportunity is there, and creating that opportunity in as many ways as possible.
IN OTHER WORDS, both the player base and CCP have unique and sometimes conflicting perspectives and motives that need to be navigated through in order to make a product that continues to capture the imaginations of those that play while drawing in many more new peeps to play with!
This is the same speech I gave last year, and I don't think anything has changed and the current questions surrounding the usefulness of the CSM are just variations on the same theme. It's time for the powerbloc agitating self interest candidates to go, and short of that, they should atleast be balanced with those that are interested in mechanics and game design, vs meta-talk and good'ol day syndrome narrative. I am amazed at how little value some CSM members put in having direct comms with devs, and fail to see that those interactions have a long term affect.
If CSM members can't comprehend the value of that direct line to devs and potential influence, nor have the ability to exercise it in a meaningful way, then they absolutely need to go. The change you can bring won't be evident, it's not about a specific change or a single agenda item getting accomplished, but rather that reasoned voice helping guide devs in a way you won't ever realize. The point is to be a sounding board, a sanity check, and in some instances a first line reaction Guinea pig. The change CSM members affect are on the aggregate and it utterly misses the point to be a space Union or advocacy brigade.
You don't know what is in the heads of devs, and maybe they don't action anything you provide them directly, but most likely your arguments affected their overarching viewpoint (if presented well or reasonably) and the dev is simply powerless or not able to address any of what makes sense right now the idea is to get that bug in their head, to interject that other perspective so that when they are implementing change they control, they might just utilize your reason and arguments on something totally different.
The CSM has value and can be effective. CSM members must communicate the player perspective when it comes to overall mechanics and what PAYING/PLAYING consumers actually want to shell out real cash for when purchasing CCPs goods and services. CCPs has to pay the bills and we want to get value for our buck. That is why I am running for CSM XI as an outsider (i.e. not a powerbloc space teamster wannabe).