Posted - 2011.08.16 12:26:00 - [1]

 

Six weeks ago I was summoned to CCP Headquarters as active CSM member to participate in an emergency meeting in Reykjavik Iceland. As last place CSM alternate I had zero expectations of ever going to any of the meetings. I was somewhat active in the various communications channels afforded to CSM, and did take time to read each and every official post and the reply's to them. This was fortunate as I had good understanding of the issues to be discussed.

Many of you know I was elected by the utilization of a combination of trolling, ganking and scamming as well as marked influence peddling. As a candidate elected by such methods, the rest of the CSM and, I assume, the playerbase as well, had low regard for my candidacy. Despite such low expectations, I did in fact, take my CSM Alternate position seriously.

For the players who expected me to violate the Eula, NDA, or to be generally disruptive to the communications within the CSM, I regretfully have to tell you it won't happen. I reserved my judgement of the CSM and CCP in general, with regards to the CSM's influence with CCP. I am very pleased I held back and did not display too much asshatery.

After meeting many CCP employees and attending the emergency meeting, my initial low opinion of CCP,the CSM as a body, and as individuals,dramatically changed. My initial assessment was indeed shortsighted, misinformed and premature.


If the players knew what goes on with the CSM-they would be surprised. Sometimes pleasantly, sometimes not. The CSM actually works pretty damn hard for what we perceive as beneficial to the game, but our ideas and yours may be different as to what constitutes as beneficial. That being said, we look out for issues in Hi and Low sec, in addition to null and WH space.

Being elected to represent trolls, outlaws and criminals of eve has not stopped me from supporting many different Hisec initiatives, many of which focus on gameplay improvements for such groups as: Miners, Industrialists, Missioners, Traders and Couriers and Ratters.

The CSM does not, contrary to widely held beliefs "focus solely on null sec issues", and in fact addresses nearly every conceivable aspect of the game, regardless of location.The CSM knows that gameplay improvements benefit everyone as a healthy balanced Eve means more fun for everyone and more subscribers and a more diverse playerbase.

Nearly everyone in the CSM has extensive experience in all phases of the game and all occupations and strives to make improvements to all sectors. While the rest of the CSM may not like me, and even if CCP took a wary approach to someone who cheated in the election-everyone was able to look past that and make progress at the emergency summit to issues spanning all of New Eden. In short, we are already doing the things many of you seem to want done yet think we are ignoring.

If people knew how demanding and at times tedious, the 'job' of CSM is-I don't think there would be many people running at all for it. The vast majority of us spend so many hours a week working on CSM related issues-it would quiclkly add up to man years if anyone was keeping track

For those that do not think that the CSM is influential in it's dealings with CCP, I have to speak out and tell you-nothing could be farther from the truth. The tone of the meetings was mostly formal and on topic, without much banter and with seriousness displayed by all parties. CCP for their part-listened to us and I am glad to say progress was in fact made. The CSM has stakeholder status and it was evident during the meetings that our collective opinions were taken at face value by CCP.


TL;DR-The CSM works hard to get players opinions out to CCP and CCP actually listens.