First, as a disclaimer, this might not be the best day for this post, as it is totes not a joke.
As many of you know, I was once one of the hosts of The Drone Bay Podcast. I've tried to restart the show a couple of times, but it never took, mostly because my interest in the game waned again. That first burnout hit me hard, and trying to recapture my "glory days" with various corps just never panned out, as I know I've stated before.
Now, though, it's been a month since I've returned to the game (again), and I've started reconsidering my status as a community contributor. I've never been much of a blogger, except when the mood strikes, but I really do enjoy podcasting. The rub is that I just landed a job that gets pretty hectic in the summer time, and I live in Alaska TZ (1 hour west of PDT). That makes it hard to coordinate with peeps, and the busy nature of my summer will make it hard to edit. Still, neither of these is insurmountable.
That said, I am really feeling the itch again. It's been suggested that I talk to existing hosts and see about tagging along on an episode or two, but while I enjoy those shows, the format just isn't...the same if that makes sense. TDB was patterned a good deal after The Instance, and I really liked that style. Still, unless I find that niche again (I can't exactly teach the finer points of doctrines and such that I am still learning/relearning), it'll be tough.
So, I'm going to open it up to all eight of my readers. Is there room for a show like what TDB used to be? If I do make a new show, am I better off trying to resurrect the old name, or go with something new after a couple of false starts hanging over the old show? What about format? I don't know that I could do a solo show (too boring for me and you, frankly), so how many hosts are appropriate? I liked a lot about the three chair format, but it had its drawbacks, for sure. Basically if you have any thoughts concerning a new/rezzed podcast hosted by yours truly, please leave them here. This is an open call for help :P.
Showing posts with label EVE Online. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EVE Online. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Cast the first stone...
Gaming news and the current media environment make strange bedfellows. There was a time when CCP was a sort of media darling, at least from my vantage point. Here was a plucky little Icelandic software company that bucked the trend of railroaded MMOs and gave its players a massive sandbox to play in. The T20 scandal quickly became the groundwork for the CSM, which got a bit of an eyebrow raise from the New York Times. Later that year, another article set a quite bemused tone about the sandbox with all the crazed inhabitants blasting away at one another's space pixels. In a market that was hiccuping, there was really only Blizzard's juggernaut, aging relics, a series of false-starts, and the plucky little sandbox.
Inside that sandbox in 2007, the T20 scandal was more than a news story, it helped kill one of EVE's own juggernauts. Even Hilmar saw what a scandal could do to an alliance once it reached the media. In the second NYT article he stated (emphasis mine), “What happened first and foremost was that the controversy created demoralization within BOB and a downward spiral because they started to doubt themselves and the legitimacy of their achievements. GoonSwarm’s P.R. campaign was effective in creating this impression, and a lot of people left BOB, I think, because of this idea. And kudos to GoonSwarm for having good P.R.”
Since that time, CCP has had its own share of rough days in the press. T20 began it, but Monoclegate (for which I was admittedly not subbed to the game), general vocal dissatisfaction, falling numbers and their coverage in the press, and the eventual restructuring and downsizing of the company all doubtless took their toll and frayed some psyches over Reykjavik way. Now, after what most consider a step in the right direction with Crucible, Fanfest no doubt caused a few head to desk collisions.
Anyone reading this almost certainly knows what was said by The Mittani, and can generally agree that the statement was somewhere between absolutely reprehensible and in rather poor taste. That being settled, the story has burned through Massively, Kotaku, Ten Ton Hammer, as well as other sites. I haven't seen the crossover into IRL media yet, but with the writers (rather shamelessly) using buzzwords like "cyber-bullying," it may only be a matter of time. Many of these stories, as is typical of the world of the 24 hour news cycle where he who scoops first scoops the most hits, the details get fuzzy and often distorted. The result is that a guy with whom I have had very little personal interaction is getting raked over the coals by the gaming media, and if my fears prove true, perhaps soon the mainstream media.
The thing that always strikes me in situations like this is the frank hypocrisy on the part of most humans. Yes, I think what Mittens said was wrong, but as I put it to my CEO as I watched the video, I was waiting for the really shocking stuff. What I saw was a dude in a wizard had surrounded by alcohol bottles make a comment in poor taste that he'd likely regret on his own accord. My somewhat jaded reaction is no doubt fueled by the time I've spent in the rough and unforgiving lands of both EVE and the internet in general. Truth be told, 99% of us have griefed someone in some way in this game and probably thought it was hillarious (the remaining 1% haven't figured out a good method). If the person we griefed were then to convo us and maybe rage a bit, or maybe tell a sob story (true or not), a lot of us would either laugh or simply shrug it off. It's what the now-famous anonymity barrier of cyberspace does to us.
That cruelty gene is inside most if not all of us. I know it's in virtually everyone I have ever played this or any other game game with or against. When someone gets called on a slip-up that exposes his own cruel gene, even in a manner pretty clearly meant to be humorous, we pounce. We want that person dragged into the street and ridden out on a rail because it's cathartic to us. Afterwards, we get to tell ourselves we're better people because we stood up to the cyber-bully. Truth is that Alex "The Mittani" Gianturco may have a wider mean streak than most of us. After all, his exploits scamming, spying, and generally wrecking other alliances is legendary. Underneath, though, he's just a guy. Personally, I believe the contrition in his apologies, and think that he has gotten a fairly good taste of how the other side lives. My only hope is that it doesn't change him. Despite what we might stand on the internet mountaintop and shout, there's a little of The Mittani in all of us.
Enjoy your break, Mittens. We'll be waiting for you on the flip side.
Inside that sandbox in 2007, the T20 scandal was more than a news story, it helped kill one of EVE's own juggernauts. Even Hilmar saw what a scandal could do to an alliance once it reached the media. In the second NYT article he stated (emphasis mine), “What happened first and foremost was that the controversy created demoralization within BOB and a downward spiral because they started to doubt themselves and the legitimacy of their achievements. GoonSwarm’s P.R. campaign was effective in creating this impression, and a lot of people left BOB, I think, because of this idea. And kudos to GoonSwarm for having good P.R.”
Since that time, CCP has had its own share of rough days in the press. T20 began it, but Monoclegate (for which I was admittedly not subbed to the game), general vocal dissatisfaction, falling numbers and their coverage in the press, and the eventual restructuring and downsizing of the company all doubtless took their toll and frayed some psyches over Reykjavik way. Now, after what most consider a step in the right direction with Crucible, Fanfest no doubt caused a few head to desk collisions.
Anyone reading this almost certainly knows what was said by The Mittani, and can generally agree that the statement was somewhere between absolutely reprehensible and in rather poor taste. That being settled, the story has burned through Massively, Kotaku, Ten Ton Hammer, as well as other sites. I haven't seen the crossover into IRL media yet, but with the writers (rather shamelessly) using buzzwords like "cyber-bullying," it may only be a matter of time. Many of these stories, as is typical of the world of the 24 hour news cycle where he who scoops first scoops the most hits, the details get fuzzy and often distorted. The result is that a guy with whom I have had very little personal interaction is getting raked over the coals by the gaming media, and if my fears prove true, perhaps soon the mainstream media.
The thing that always strikes me in situations like this is the frank hypocrisy on the part of most humans. Yes, I think what Mittens said was wrong, but as I put it to my CEO as I watched the video, I was waiting for the really shocking stuff. What I saw was a dude in a wizard had surrounded by alcohol bottles make a comment in poor taste that he'd likely regret on his own accord. My somewhat jaded reaction is no doubt fueled by the time I've spent in the rough and unforgiving lands of both EVE and the internet in general. Truth be told, 99% of us have griefed someone in some way in this game and probably thought it was hillarious (the remaining 1% haven't figured out a good method). If the person we griefed were then to convo us and maybe rage a bit, or maybe tell a sob story (true or not), a lot of us would either laugh or simply shrug it off. It's what the now-famous anonymity barrier of cyberspace does to us.
That cruelty gene is inside most if not all of us. I know it's in virtually everyone I have ever played this or any other game game with or against. When someone gets called on a slip-up that exposes his own cruel gene, even in a manner pretty clearly meant to be humorous, we pounce. We want that person dragged into the street and ridden out on a rail because it's cathartic to us. Afterwards, we get to tell ourselves we're better people because we stood up to the cyber-bully. Truth is that Alex "The Mittani" Gianturco may have a wider mean streak than most of us. After all, his exploits scamming, spying, and generally wrecking other alliances is legendary. Underneath, though, he's just a guy. Personally, I believe the contrition in his apologies, and think that he has gotten a fairly good taste of how the other side lives. My only hope is that it doesn't change him. Despite what we might stand on the internet mountaintop and shout, there's a little of The Mittani in all of us.
Enjoy your break, Mittens. We'll be waiting for you on the flip side.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Appropriate Blog Title is Appropriate
Now that I am getting my feet firmly planted back in the game (3 accounts active, running anoms and PI like a crazed person, etc.), I have taken some time to consider my place in the universe of EVE. I've done this every time I came back from a hiatus, and every time I come up with different answers, but the most common thought I have is how much I enjoy the success of those that I have helped in some way.
Let me give an example. Back in the dark ages, I help found ETNY and recruited some people who are now in high places in a big group of people. Now, those guys did pretty much all the work on their own, but it still feels nice to know that I helped on at least one step of the ladder.
Even better, though, are the people who I have instructed in some way who perhaps didn't go on to places of enormous internet pixel power, but instead garnered additional enjoyment from the game because of something I taught them either directly, through flying with me, the podcast, etc.
I think being back in PRAX will afford me that kind of opportunity again. I've been in elite PvP corps and alliances, and somehow I always miss telling a noob how to fit his first tackler more than most fleet fights.
I'd like to podcast again, but I don't know that I can summon the time to record and edit one, these days. C'est la vie.
Let me give an example. Back in the dark ages, I help found ETNY and recruited some people who are now in high places in a big group of people. Now, those guys did pretty much all the work on their own, but it still feels nice to know that I helped on at least one step of the ladder.
Even better, though, are the people who I have instructed in some way who perhaps didn't go on to places of enormous internet pixel power, but instead garnered additional enjoyment from the game because of something I taught them either directly, through flying with me, the podcast, etc.
I think being back in PRAX will afford me that kind of opportunity again. I've been in elite PvP corps and alliances, and somehow I always miss telling a noob how to fit his first tackler more than most fleet fights.
I'd like to podcast again, but I don't know that I can summon the time to record and edit one, these days. C'est la vie.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Back...But For How Long?
So, as some of you know very well, I have an on again, off again relationship with EVE. After the "glory days" of the MC, I've never managed to recapture the enjoyment of the game that kept me wanting to pour hours and hours of my life into it.
After floating through WoW, SWTOR, LoL, and various other time-wasters, I'm back at my original favorite time-waster, EVE. I've rejoined The Praxis Initiative, and this time there is not plan to run off to 0utbreak, BDCI, or Veto. Those corps were all awesome, and I have many good friends in them, but if my grand experiment of returning to EVE is ever going to succeed, I think I need to begin at the beginning, with the corp I joined on day 3 of Crovan's life. Watch this space as my adventure unfooooolds!
After floating through WoW, SWTOR, LoL, and various other time-wasters, I'm back at my original favorite time-waster, EVE. I've rejoined The Praxis Initiative, and this time there is not plan to run off to 0utbreak, BDCI, or Veto. Those corps were all awesome, and I have many good friends in them, but if my grand experiment of returning to EVE is ever going to succeed, I think I need to begin at the beginning, with the corp I joined on day 3 of Crovan's life. Watch this space as my adventure unfooooolds!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Drone Bay 25 is up!
For the show notes, head to the show's website.
Also, please help us stay on the front page of the EVE-O forums!
The show also has a Facebook page. Become a fan if...you know...you're a fan. Also, hang out to chat with other listeners and the hosts!
Also, please help us stay on the front page of the EVE-O forums!
The show also has a Facebook page. Become a fan if...you know...you're a fan. Also, hang out to chat with other listeners and the hosts!
Monday, March 29, 2010
End of March Update
First off, I haven't forgotten about the Daredevil, but PRAX's current axtivities mean I haven't had as much time to fly it of late.
Now, on to what I have been working on. The infrastructure for the return of The Drone Bay is quickly being put into place. I have a domain, and have taken over the pre-existing libsyn account.
Al has put down the healbot and picked up the missile and (mining) laser again. He has joined me in The Praxis Initiative, so lols are guaranteed to ensue. If you are interested in finding ois what PRAX is all about and whether we may be a fit for you, check out the in-game channel 'PRAX'. We are newer player friendly, but also have our share of veterans and one bitter old noob.
Now, on to what I have been working on. The infrastructure for the return of The Drone Bay is quickly being put into place. I have a domain, and have taken over the pre-existing libsyn account.
Al has put down the healbot and picked up the missile and (mining) laser again. He has joined me in The Praxis Initiative, so lols are guaranteed to ensue. If you are interested in finding ois what PRAX is all about and whether we may be a fit for you, check out the in-game channel 'PRAX'. We are newer player friendly, but also have our share of veterans and one bitter old noob.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Right Click, Return to The Drone Bay
The time approaches. My EVE-related synapses have been warmed once more.
As mentioned, I've talked to CK about bringing TDB back from beyond the grave, and Al has put down his (admittedly l33t) tree-healing buttons long enough to resub to EVE.
My reason in writing this is not to officially announce the show's return, as we're not nearly there, yet. What I am after is feedback from you, the once and (hopefully) future listeners. So, please tell me, via comment, eve mail, email, twitter, or candygram, what you think we should consider changing as we look to the podcast's future. I assume regularity and consistency is number one, but I am speaking more in terms of content.
Oh, and while I am more than happy to take convos, as many of you know, understand that if I don't accept or don't respond, it's likely that boat violence is to blame.
As mentioned, I've talked to CK about bringing TDB back from beyond the grave, and Al has put down his (admittedly l33t) tree-healing buttons long enough to resub to EVE.
My reason in writing this is not to officially announce the show's return, as we're not nearly there, yet. What I am after is feedback from you, the once and (hopefully) future listeners. So, please tell me, via comment, eve mail, email, twitter, or candygram, what you think we should consider changing as we look to the podcast's future. I assume regularity and consistency is number one, but I am speaking more in terms of content.
Oh, and while I am more than happy to take convos, as many of you know, understand that if I don't accept or don't respond, it's likely that boat violence is to blame.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Coming Soon: Faction Frigates and You
Apologies to anybody who saw just the accidenital post with only half the subject.
My recent return to active EVE-playing has consisted almost exclusively of frigate-scale FacWar activity. As a result, I have spent a tidy pile of ISK on some shiny new faction frigs.
In the coming days, I plan to share my thoughts, experiences, and any kills/losses of these shiny beasts. Some are kitted out with faction mods, and some are more budget-friendly (yes, that is possible!).
The current ships on the menu are the Federation Navy Comet, Daredevil, and the FotM Dramiel. Between my characters, I can fly most faction frigs, but 800m spent on half a dozen of them should sate me for now, unless someone feels like throwing another ship my way.
For the next round after these, I am open to suggestions. I know I should give the Slicer a whirl, but I'll need a few days at least to sort my small laser spec skills, first.
Stay tuned for some pimpalicious friggy goodness!
My recent return to active EVE-playing has consisted almost exclusively of frigate-scale FacWar activity. As a result, I have spent a tidy pile of ISK on some shiny new faction frigs.
In the coming days, I plan to share my thoughts, experiences, and any kills/losses of these shiny beasts. Some are kitted out with faction mods, and some are more budget-friendly (yes, that is possible!).
The current ships on the menu are the Federation Navy Comet, Daredevil, and the FotM Dramiel. Between my characters, I can fly most faction frigs, but 800m spent on half a dozen of them should sate me for now, unless someone feels like throwing another ship my way.
For the next round after these, I am open to suggestions. I know I should give the Slicer a whirl, but I'll need a few days at least to sort my small laser spec skills, first.
Stay tuned for some pimpalicious friggy goodness!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Episode 14: It's live! It's liiiiive!
The Drone Bay #14 (Click to Download/Play)
Episode 14 is here, and was recorded in front of a live audience!
Bring on the Drones:
In the weekly update, Al and Crovan have both joined The Dead Parrot Shoppe Inc. [FOOM], and are knee-deep in FW goodness. CK has been hauling his afterburners off.
In DON'T PANIC, the crew discusses how to come back after a hiatus, much in the way that Crovan is doing.
This week's listener feedback section features mp3s submitted from our viewers.
Also, some big news from Al and Crovan...and how they have let their WoW accounts lapse.
Make sure to check out the in-game channel "The Drone Bay" (no quotes) to talk to other listeners, as well as the hosts! News on the latest show, the plans for the next show, and info on how to listen live is available, there.
Contact Info:
In-Game Channel:
The Drone Bay
GAX Online Group:
The Drone Bay
E-Mail:
dronebay|at|gmail.com (comments/questions for everyone)
crovan|at|eve-mail.net
crazykinux|at|gmail.com
alsedrech|at|gmail.com
Skype:
Dronebay
Blogs:
Bitter Old Noob (Crovan)
CrazyKinux’s Musing
The Littlest Drone (Alsedrech)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Noob's Lamentations on AoC
So, after the accolades that got poured on it at launch, Age of Conan is being hit from all directions by a lot of criticism. Gaming news sites are taking notice, and for good reason.
I canceled my AoC account this week. The reasons why read like a list of the major criticisms of the game. The first warning sign for me was the lack of quest voice-overs after Tortage. It was a minor thing, but I couldn't help but feel that it was a sign of things to come. The technical graphical issues I was experiencing also didn't help, but were eventually resolved.
Basically, there is nothing compelling for me in the game, even in the 30s, let alone the grind to 80 and the bemoaned lack of end-game content. I was hoping that the lauded PvP system would give me more of the feel I have come to love from EVE in a fantasy setting, but it looks like I'll be waiting for WAR, since AoC's siege system is plagued with technical issues, and has been stepped back a number of times, already.
Speaking of EVE, I've gotten more involved in Faction Warfare, including running around with some more organized groups than you tend to get in the militia channel. It's been a great deal of fun and has really rejuvenated my desire to play the game, despite some of the issues that FW has.
The Drone Bay 13 has been edited and uploaded and will be out as soon as the notes are done and Brent has time to publish it.
I canceled my AoC account this week. The reasons why read like a list of the major criticisms of the game. The first warning sign for me was the lack of quest voice-overs after Tortage. It was a minor thing, but I couldn't help but feel that it was a sign of things to come. The technical graphical issues I was experiencing also didn't help, but were eventually resolved.
Basically, there is nothing compelling for me in the game, even in the 30s, let alone the grind to 80 and the bemoaned lack of end-game content. I was hoping that the lauded PvP system would give me more of the feel I have come to love from EVE in a fantasy setting, but it looks like I'll be waiting for WAR, since AoC's siege system is plagued with technical issues, and has been stepped back a number of times, already.
Speaking of EVE, I've gotten more involved in Faction Warfare, including running around with some more organized groups than you tend to get in the militia channel. It's been a great deal of fun and has really rejuvenated my desire to play the game, despite some of the issues that FW has.
The Drone Bay 13 has been edited and uploaded and will be out as soon as the notes are done and Brent has time to publish it.
Monday, May 26, 2008
EVE Shenanigans and Project Alice
So, as most of you will already know, MC disbanded. I even had my own personal troll take the time to come to BoN and razz me about it. So cute...
Anyway, ETNY is still going strong, and has moved on to found Project Alice. We've been active up North (well, those of us with working PCs have...), and have merged with Vidar Fierd, another former MC corp with whom we have always felt a strong sense of camaraderie (thanks, spellchecker!).
With faction warfare coming, there's no telling where we'll end up. I'd really like to get waist-deep into the faction stuff, but may end up doing it on an alt.
Also, Episode 11 of The Drone Bay is recorded and edited. It'll go up as soon as the notes are done. Thanks to all our listeners!
Anyway, ETNY is still going strong, and has moved on to found Project Alice. We've been active up North (well, those of us with working PCs have...), and have merged with Vidar Fierd, another former MC corp with whom we have always felt a strong sense of camaraderie (thanks, spellchecker!).
With faction warfare coming, there's no telling where we'll end up. I'd really like to get waist-deep into the faction stuff, but may end up doing it on an alt.
Also, Episode 11 of The Drone Bay is recorded and edited. It'll go up as soon as the notes are done. Thanks to all our listeners!
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Drone Bay Podcast: Episode - I Smell BACON!
The Drone Bay #8 (Click to Download/Play)
Episode 8: I smell BACON!
Episode 8 is here, and it's time to fry up some eggs, because BACON's on the plate!
Bring on the Drones:
In the weekly recap, the big news is the Re-Release of BACON.
The DON'T PANIC topic for this week is the interface. Learn to set up your overview, and also don't miss Crovan and CK's number one interface tip for surviving in 0.0/lowsec!
Mail gets answered, as usual. Keep sending us questions/comments! Also, please review us on iTunes. We're in the "New and Notable" section under Games and Hobbies already. Thanks for the support so far! Also, if you have an idea for a mini-segment (2 minutes or under), then record it as an MP3 and send it to one of the e-mail addresses below. We'd love to get some good listener content!
No bloopers, but a fitting outro track.
Contact Info:
GAX Online Group:
The Drone Bay
E-Mail:
dronebay|at|gmail.com (comments/questions for everyone)
crovan|at|eve-mail.net
crazykinux|at|gmail.com
alsedrech|at|gmail.com
Skype:
Dronebay
Blogs:
Bitter Old Noob (Crovan)
CrazyKinux’s Musing
The Littlest Drone (Alsedrech)
Friday, March 21, 2008
EVE's Council of Stellar Management: Making E-Democracy Work
Recently, the EVE Online official forums have been awash with thread after thread about the CSM, and how this or that single detail needs serious review. Some of those concerns are valid, in my view, but many are based on faulty premises when translating the real world ideas of representation to the online community. CCP's undertaking means they are now charged with the unique challenge of predicting the outcome of something nobody has seen before. The following entry will be cross-posted onto the EVE Forums, but I put it here in order to have it all in one place (character limits on the forums and whatnot. Be warned, this is not a short entry, but the big bullet points will be bolded, so you can dodge parts of the incoming wall-o-text. My current concerns and suggestions are as follows:
1. Give Non-Forum, Non-EVE-Mail Means to Contact Representatives: This is a practical point for the preservation of the sanity of those elected. Be it a separate Councilman (or woman) character, or a dedicated out of game e-mail, something as an alternative to in-game conversation and EVE-Mail spam will be critical to allow the CSM members to actually continue to enjoy playing the game.
2. Support and Facilitation of Pre-Election Discussion Make the candidate's chosen character names public. There are many player media outlets out there that would love to have a chance at setting up some interviews/discussions/debates, but we need the info in order to set it up. Also, since I understand that CCP may want to stay out of the campaigning and interviews with their own volunteers, make some other means on the official website to publish articles, link podcasts, and schedule debates. A sub-forum would be ideal.
3. Campaign Rules, or Lack Thereof: It really matters little to me whether CCP does or does not regulate campaign tactics and financing, but what rules are present need to be firmly laid down and strictly followed. Any leeway in the first election will mean an ever-increasing number in the future. Two months is not long to campaign, as-is, and candidates should have their rules (or statement that there are no rules) ASAP.
4. Constituency: While there are advantages to the universal representation scheme currently offered, constituency is something worth discussing. Constituencies are sub-divisions of the whole that would choose their own representatives. Most elected legislative bodies work this way. I generally like the idea of making sure that voices from various areas and walks of EVE life are heard, but I think this idea runs into a few problems. The biggest issue I see is the division of the constituencies themselves. There is no single way to divide EVE players into neat groups. Do you divide industrialists, miners, and pvpers? Many players are some combination of the above, and even those who are reasonably dedicated will often branch out into other fields. These are not hard and fast distinctions, as they depend solely on self-identity. Territorial and Empire vs. Alliance space distinctions bring up similar concerns. In short, this might be something to consider in the future, but I think CCP is wise to keep clear of it for now.
5. Improved Referendum: While the system in the CSM for suggestions from the outside is not a true referendum, I think the term still works for what we have here. Basically, if five percent of the accounts in EVE vote that Issue X should be brought forth to the CSM and CCP, it simply happens. No approval of a CSM member is required. In an ideal situation, the CSM will be diverse enough that most worthy topics will make it through without recourse to referendum, but the best course is usually to expect the best and prepare for the worst. In this case, I am not sure a percentage is the right answer. It may work in the real world for this sort of thing, but EVE's populace is so small and ever-changing that five percent could vary by hundreds of votes from month to month. For the sake of the sanity of those monitoring the referendums at CCP, as well as simplicity's sake, I recommend a flat number that is reasonably achievable, say 7,500 as a ballpark.
6. Term Limits: Incumbency, combined with a lack of term limits, leads to stagnation of political innovation in the real world, as well as a significant boost to the grip that lobbyists have over representatives. With CCP being so keen on progress and new ideas, I believe a hard term limit of somewhere between two and four terms is ideal.
7. Realistic Expectations: The Virgin Worlds interview with Pétur Óskarsson demonstrated to me that CCP has a realistic outlook, namely that the CSM will be an immense undertaking to organize and implement, and may well not be considered a "success" by the community within the first year. This is a good thing. I tend to agree that it is unlikely we'll see anything earth-shattering (at least in a good way) from the CSM for a year or so. Patience is key here.
1. Give Non-Forum, Non-EVE-Mail Means to Contact Representatives: This is a practical point for the preservation of the sanity of those elected. Be it a separate Councilman (or woman) character, or a dedicated out of game e-mail, something as an alternative to in-game conversation and EVE-Mail spam will be critical to allow the CSM members to actually continue to enjoy playing the game.
2. Support and Facilitation of Pre-Election Discussion Make the candidate's chosen character names public. There are many player media outlets out there that would love to have a chance at setting up some interviews/discussions/debates, but we need the info in order to set it up. Also, since I understand that CCP may want to stay out of the campaigning and interviews with their own volunteers, make some other means on the official website to publish articles, link podcasts, and schedule debates. A sub-forum would be ideal.
3. Campaign Rules, or Lack Thereof: It really matters little to me whether CCP does or does not regulate campaign tactics and financing, but what rules are present need to be firmly laid down and strictly followed. Any leeway in the first election will mean an ever-increasing number in the future. Two months is not long to campaign, as-is, and candidates should have their rules (or statement that there are no rules) ASAP.
4. Constituency: While there are advantages to the universal representation scheme currently offered, constituency is something worth discussing. Constituencies are sub-divisions of the whole that would choose their own representatives. Most elected legislative bodies work this way. I generally like the idea of making sure that voices from various areas and walks of EVE life are heard, but I think this idea runs into a few problems. The biggest issue I see is the division of the constituencies themselves. There is no single way to divide EVE players into neat groups. Do you divide industrialists, miners, and pvpers? Many players are some combination of the above, and even those who are reasonably dedicated will often branch out into other fields. These are not hard and fast distinctions, as they depend solely on self-identity. Territorial and Empire vs. Alliance space distinctions bring up similar concerns. In short, this might be something to consider in the future, but I think CCP is wise to keep clear of it for now.
5. Improved Referendum: While the system in the CSM for suggestions from the outside is not a true referendum, I think the term still works for what we have here. Basically, if five percent of the accounts in EVE vote that Issue X should be brought forth to the CSM and CCP, it simply happens. No approval of a CSM member is required. In an ideal situation, the CSM will be diverse enough that most worthy topics will make it through without recourse to referendum, but the best course is usually to expect the best and prepare for the worst. In this case, I am not sure a percentage is the right answer. It may work in the real world for this sort of thing, but EVE's populace is so small and ever-changing that five percent could vary by hundreds of votes from month to month. For the sake of the sanity of those monitoring the referendums at CCP, as well as simplicity's sake, I recommend a flat number that is reasonably achievable, say 7,500 as a ballpark.
6. Term Limits: Incumbency, combined with a lack of term limits, leads to stagnation of political innovation in the real world, as well as a significant boost to the grip that lobbyists have over representatives. With CCP being so keen on progress and new ideas, I believe a hard term limit of somewhere between two and four terms is ideal.
7. Realistic Expectations: The Virgin Worlds interview with Pétur Óskarsson demonstrated to me that CCP has a realistic outlook, namely that the CSM will be an immense undertaking to organize and implement, and may well not be considered a "success" by the community within the first year. This is a good thing. I tend to agree that it is unlikely we'll see anything earth-shattering (at least in a good way) from the CSM for a year or so. Patience is key here.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Making Factional Warfare Work In EVE: Realistic Politics
Factional warfare is, without a doubt, my most anticipated feature for EVE. Ambulation looks great, and I'm sure it will be a great addition to the game, but at the end of the day it is going to be a cosmetic change, at least initially. The premise for factional warfare, as far as I can tell at this stage, is to have a resurgence and creation of various wars and skirmishes between the major NPC empires of EVE that allow for player involvement. Whether this means traditional EVE PvP, or PvE content, or even an introduction of RvR is yet to be seen. No matter the final form, the concept of factional conflict grants CCP the opportunity to really open up the universe to give it a more interactive feel. This is a real challenge to build into the game as it stands now, since a mis-step could really break things and send us down the SWG path. I have more faith in CCP than that, though.
As it stands now, the universe, while interesting and well-designed, is really little more than a backdrop for the interactions of players. While this model has proven sufficient for the enjoyment of their subscriber base thus far, the fact that they are developing a factional warfare system speaks to the fact that CCP is interested in making the NPC world more approachable.
I know I've mentioned factional warfare in the past, but what I'd like to do here is to describe some of what I think would be critical features for a successful implementation of the system. Mechanics and whatnot aside, the first thing I would like to cover is the handling of different political structures and interactions within EVE. I choose politics first for two reasons. First, it is where my educational background is. Second, in order for this project to be a success, CCP needs to create a system of complex interactions that are at least competitive with the look and feel of the interactions between player groups.
The first step to realistic interactions between the NPC factions is the proper establishment of what each of those factions is, politically and structurally. We have the broad strokes: Amarrians are a monarchical theocracy somewhat reminiscent of medieval Europe, the Gallente are absolute freedom classical liberals and laissez-faire advocates of 18th and 19th century France, the Caldari are a supercapitalist state bordering on fascism, and the Minmatar are the burgeoning republic of freed slaves. That's enough background for player to player roleplay interaction, but incorporating the NPCs means that they will need backstories as detailed and diverse as those of the players. That isn't to say that each NPC needs pages of personal history, but the major ones certainly do, and each faction and sub-faction should have some detail put into their own philosophies, governmental systems, and relationships with other factions/sub-factions. This leads to the opportunity for a new depth of intra-faction roleplay as well. For example, the Gallente and Intaki bloodlines of the Gallente Federation have vast differences in their general disposition, so expanding that and allowing players to align themselves more closely with their own chosen ideology will give a richer roleplay experience.
On the subject of ideologies, I think factional warfare gives CCP and the EVE player base the chance to break away from the racially-defined philosophical paradigms. Right now, the major RP groups out there, with the exception of Star Fraction (anarchists of the Heinlein vein), are all tied to one faction or another. With the way the game is now, that means they are tied to one race. Factional warfare gives the chance for groups to rise and flourish with any consideration of player or NPC base being extrinsic to the cause of the organization.
It is a lot of work to put in, and maybe this is exactly what CCP is doing, but the radio silence and continued delays make me wonder if my most anticipated feature is coming any time in the near future.
As it stands now, the universe, while interesting and well-designed, is really little more than a backdrop for the interactions of players. While this model has proven sufficient for the enjoyment of their subscriber base thus far, the fact that they are developing a factional warfare system speaks to the fact that CCP is interested in making the NPC world more approachable.
I know I've mentioned factional warfare in the past, but what I'd like to do here is to describe some of what I think would be critical features for a successful implementation of the system. Mechanics and whatnot aside, the first thing I would like to cover is the handling of different political structures and interactions within EVE. I choose politics first for two reasons. First, it is where my educational background is. Second, in order for this project to be a success, CCP needs to create a system of complex interactions that are at least competitive with the look and feel of the interactions between player groups.
The first step to realistic interactions between the NPC factions is the proper establishment of what each of those factions is, politically and structurally. We have the broad strokes: Amarrians are a monarchical theocracy somewhat reminiscent of medieval Europe, the Gallente are absolute freedom classical liberals and laissez-faire advocates of 18th and 19th century France, the Caldari are a supercapitalist state bordering on fascism, and the Minmatar are the burgeoning republic of freed slaves. That's enough background for player to player roleplay interaction, but incorporating the NPCs means that they will need backstories as detailed and diverse as those of the players. That isn't to say that each NPC needs pages of personal history, but the major ones certainly do, and each faction and sub-faction should have some detail put into their own philosophies, governmental systems, and relationships with other factions/sub-factions. This leads to the opportunity for a new depth of intra-faction roleplay as well. For example, the Gallente and Intaki bloodlines of the Gallente Federation have vast differences in their general disposition, so expanding that and allowing players to align themselves more closely with their own chosen ideology will give a richer roleplay experience.
On the subject of ideologies, I think factional warfare gives CCP and the EVE player base the chance to break away from the racially-defined philosophical paradigms. Right now, the major RP groups out there, with the exception of Star Fraction (anarchists of the Heinlein vein), are all tied to one faction or another. With the way the game is now, that means they are tied to one race. Factional warfare gives the chance for groups to rise and flourish with any consideration of player or NPC base being extrinsic to the cause of the organization.
It is a lot of work to put in, and maybe this is exactly what CCP is doing, but the radio silence and continued delays make me wonder if my most anticipated feature is coming any time in the near future.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Drone Bay Podcast: Episode 2 - Now With More Seismic Events!
The Drone Bay #2 (Click to Download/Play)
The Drone Bay returns for Episode 2! Yes, it’s the third episode, and I definitely had to re-record the intro 2 or 3 times to stop saying “Episode Three,” but meh. This week brings you more of the discussion, guides, and listener mail that you’ve been asking for. As always, please contact us with any suggestions or feedback.
Bring on the Drones:
First off is the weekly recap, where the guys discuss the end of the tourney (congrats Ev0ke!), the stalling out of the Delve offensive (for now), and the Council of Stellar Management. Also, the guys got a bit more media attention this week, which is good, because our egos need inflating. Check out Crovan’s CSM blog entry which got a bit of press from Massively and Ten Ton Hammer this week. CK’s economic segment notes also made Massively’s front page, so we are all feeling smugly superior for a bit.
In DON’T PANIC, thanks to popular demand, the crew discusses corporations and how to look for employment in EVE. One site we are plugging this week is EVE-Careers, a very slick looking database and classifieds site for both employers and prospective employees.
In the listener feedback section, the guys tackle a few questions about starting out in PvP, as well as explaining just what on earth skill hardwirings are for.
The discussion this week centers on suicide ganking, particularly the recent all out war on high sec miners on behalf of Goons and their alts. Tune in for their sage and wise suggestions, all in a continuing theme of telling CCP how to run their game.
Please, please keep giving us feedback. We can’t get to everything every week, but we do appreciate the input and questions. Also, please drop us a Skype voicemail or e-mail us an mp3 if you want to hear your own voice on the show (provided you sound decent and don’t talk nonsense).
Contact Info:
GAX Online Group:
The Drone Bay
E-Mail:
dronebay|at|gmail.com (comments/questions for everyone)
crovan|at|eve-mail.net
crazykinux|at|gmail.com
alsedrech|at|gmail.com
Skype:
Dronebay
Blogs:
Bitter Old Noob (Crovan)
CrazyKinux’s Musing
The Littlest Drone (Alsedrech)
Friday, March 7, 2008
Non-EVE MMO Experiment Part 2: Tabula Rasa
Well, I've given WoW just under a month, and it's still WoW. It didn't magically turn into God's gift to MMOs in my absence, despite what hordes of fanboys will tell you. It is still a solid game, with massive improvements over when I played originally (back when subscribers were counted with six digits), but it's still just...meh. I paid for 3 months, and will play them out, but I don't see it captivating me.
That said, Alsedrech and I looked at alternatives for our secondary MMO, given that we're both pretty committed to EVE. As you might have heard on the podcast, we downloaded and played the trial for Dungeons and Dragons online. After ten minutes, we both decided we would rather set fire to all our polyhedronal dice than spend another second in that game. It's not a bad game, it's just....ok, it's a bad game. In fact, I blame Gary Gygax's death on the crappiness of that game's UI and gameplay.
Al then gave the LotRO trial a spin, perhaps after feeling guilty for the thrashing we gave Turbine's other MMO over Skype. According to him, it's a great deal better than DDO, but just feels a bit slow. He and I often share game opinions, so I'm willing to let this stand instead of downloading the 7GB client over my very bad broadband pipe.
That brings us to Tabula Rasa. I played this game in open beta and found it to be resoundingly "meh." It was cool, but the innovations still didn't get rid of the feel that I was playing WoW in space with guns. Now that they've added considerable content, and after a few recommendations, I decided to reactivate my account. Al activated an account at the same time.
Thus far our views are...surprisingly good. The game is a lot of fun, and the pacing of the random dropship baddies has made the tempo of the game feel more urgent. I've always been a big fan of the instance cut scenes, and any PUG members who begrudge me watching them every time are taking Lord British in space as a bit more serious business than it really is. Additionally some good game balancing has been done, and they are finally going to give proper re-specs (first one to mention cloning gets a polarity gun to the fifth vertebra). There are still some glaring issues, specifically that having their pinky toe behind a passing ladybug grants a nine foot tall Thrax Officer total cover, whilst standing behind a boulder the size of a small post office seems to do nothing for my situation...and there are dance emotes.
Thus concludes one of the first entries that befits the name of the blog. More to come on our adventures on the Cassiopeia server. If you play on Cass, shoot me an e-mail and we'll go run instances or something.
That said, Alsedrech and I looked at alternatives for our secondary MMO, given that we're both pretty committed to EVE. As you might have heard on the podcast, we downloaded and played the trial for Dungeons and Dragons online. After ten minutes, we both decided we would rather set fire to all our polyhedronal dice than spend another second in that game. It's not a bad game, it's just....ok, it's a bad game. In fact, I blame Gary Gygax's death on the crappiness of that game's UI and gameplay.
Al then gave the LotRO trial a spin, perhaps after feeling guilty for the thrashing we gave Turbine's other MMO over Skype. According to him, it's a great deal better than DDO, but just feels a bit slow. He and I often share game opinions, so I'm willing to let this stand instead of downloading the 7GB client over my very bad broadband pipe.
That brings us to Tabula Rasa. I played this game in open beta and found it to be resoundingly "meh." It was cool, but the innovations still didn't get rid of the feel that I was playing WoW in space with guns. Now that they've added considerable content, and after a few recommendations, I decided to reactivate my account. Al activated an account at the same time.
Thus far our views are...surprisingly good. The game is a lot of fun, and the pacing of the random dropship baddies has made the tempo of the game feel more urgent. I've always been a big fan of the instance cut scenes, and any PUG members who begrudge me watching them every time are taking Lord British in space as a bit more serious business than it really is. Additionally some good game balancing has been done, and they are finally going to give proper re-specs (first one to mention cloning gets a polarity gun to the fifth vertebra). There are still some glaring issues, specifically that having their pinky toe behind a passing ladybug grants a nine foot tall Thrax Officer total cover, whilst standing behind a boulder the size of a small post office seems to do nothing for my situation...and there are dance emotes.
Thus concludes one of the first entries that befits the name of the blog. More to come on our adventures on the Cassiopeia server. If you play on Cass, shoot me an e-mail and we'll go run instances or something.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
EVE's Player-Elected Council, and What it Means to You
EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management (video link) has been a long time coming. The first official mentions of it came after the infamous T20 incident, where a CCP dev was found to have illicitly aided the alliance he played the game with through spawned equipment and ship blueprints. CCP took a sound PR beating on every venue imaginable, partially due to the incident itself, and partially due to the banning of the French hacker who uncovered the secret, who happens to be wanted in at least two major western countries.
Motivation aside, the Council represents the chance for a game company to do something truly revolutionary. Many MMO players claim to have devs who listen to their input, but, to the best of my knowledge, none have established a player council chosen by the players themselves to represent the concerns of the customers to the company. It shouldn't be terribly surprising that CCP is leading the way with EVE Online. CCP does not merely think outside the box. Instead, thinking inside the box causes some sort of cognitive dissonance in Iceland, it seems, so CCP has set up a small village outside the box for their devs to live in.
According to a fresh announcement, voting for the CSM will begin in May. While I am excited about the prospects that this council holds for the future of EVE and the MMO genre as a whole, I can't help but be a bit nervous about the process. Like any person sufficiently educated in politics and history, I am very apprehensive about democracy, even in its more representative forms, and when you combine the unique issues of the internet into the mix, we could see a council elected that is largely useless to the community, unless CCP can drive voter turnout and voter education.
Unlike real elections where any buffoon can be elected, so long as they have enough sense to choose a good staff, in this case it is those elected who are expected to dispense the expertise. Nobody is under any illusions that most elections are anything but a popularity contest, especially in the age of mass media. Anyone wishing to dispute that point should read up on the 1960 race between Kennedy and Nixon. Perhaps it is my own inherent cynicism toward government, but I don't think nine players elected for having the best forum campaign will necessarily represent us the best. That said, with nine seats, the chances of getting at least one or two players on who talk sense is rather high. When I find the candidates who do, count on seeing them promoted in this blog.
Cynicism aside, CCP clearly sees the limitations of an elected body in this instance as well, especially an elected body made up of amateurs who just happen to be really into internet spaceships, but know little about the realities of running an MMO. Thus, the council will be limited to a largely advisory and liason role, which is probably the best choice for now. That said, I also fear that what we may end up with is CCP tuning in on the views of the CSM to the exclusion of the concerns of the rest of their players who might disagree. Only time will tell on that score. CCP does generally well with listening to the requests of their players (even the bad ones, unfortunately), so I am hopeful, but my gamer cynicism only allows me to approach this council with extreme caution.
Also, I may sell campaign ads on the podcast for the nominal fee of 1 billion ISK...or maybe a Moros.
Motivation aside, the Council represents the chance for a game company to do something truly revolutionary. Many MMO players claim to have devs who listen to their input, but, to the best of my knowledge, none have established a player council chosen by the players themselves to represent the concerns of the customers to the company. It shouldn't be terribly surprising that CCP is leading the way with EVE Online. CCP does not merely think outside the box. Instead, thinking inside the box causes some sort of cognitive dissonance in Iceland, it seems, so CCP has set up a small village outside the box for their devs to live in.
According to a fresh announcement, voting for the CSM will begin in May. While I am excited about the prospects that this council holds for the future of EVE and the MMO genre as a whole, I can't help but be a bit nervous about the process. Like any person sufficiently educated in politics and history, I am very apprehensive about democracy, even in its more representative forms, and when you combine the unique issues of the internet into the mix, we could see a council elected that is largely useless to the community, unless CCP can drive voter turnout and voter education.
Unlike real elections where any buffoon can be elected, so long as they have enough sense to choose a good staff, in this case it is those elected who are expected to dispense the expertise. Nobody is under any illusions that most elections are anything but a popularity contest, especially in the age of mass media. Anyone wishing to dispute that point should read up on the 1960 race between Kennedy and Nixon. Perhaps it is my own inherent cynicism toward government, but I don't think nine players elected for having the best forum campaign will necessarily represent us the best. That said, with nine seats, the chances of getting at least one or two players on who talk sense is rather high. When I find the candidates who do, count on seeing them promoted in this blog.
Cynicism aside, CCP clearly sees the limitations of an elected body in this instance as well, especially an elected body made up of amateurs who just happen to be really into internet spaceships, but know little about the realities of running an MMO. Thus, the council will be limited to a largely advisory and liason role, which is probably the best choice for now. That said, I also fear that what we may end up with is CCP tuning in on the views of the CSM to the exclusion of the concerns of the rest of their players who might disagree. Only time will tell on that score. CCP does generally well with listening to the requests of their players (even the bad ones, unfortunately), so I am hopeful, but my gamer cynicism only allows me to approach this council with extreme caution.
Also, I may sell campaign ads on the podcast for the nominal fee of 1 billion ISK...or maybe a Moros.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Drone Bay Podcast - Episode 1: All Official and Stuff
EVE Official Forums Link
Virgin Worlds Link
This week's episode is released. The show notes can be found at either of the links above. Please continue to give feedback via whatever means is most convenient for you, and we'll continue to listen. I haven't answered many e-mails yet, but I plan to get on that here in the near future.
Also, I'd consider it a great kindness if we could keep that thread bumped to the top. A lot of people helped us out with that last week, and they have my sincere thanks. Getting exposure is one of the hardest things for a new show.
Virgin Worlds Link
This week's episode is released. The show notes can be found at either of the links above. Please continue to give feedback via whatever means is most convenient for you, and we'll continue to listen. I haven't answered many e-mails yet, but I plan to get on that here in the near future.
Also, I'd consider it a great kindness if we could keep that thread bumped to the top. A lot of people helped us out with that last week, and they have my sincere thanks. Getting exposure is one of the hardest things for a new show.
Of EVE, RL, and Tabula Rasa
This week saw me explode in spectacular fashion in the alliance tourney match against Pandemic Legion (I was the second Dominix to go down for MC on Day 3), and not too much else for me in EVE. BoB's attempt to re-take QY6 is going only marginally worse than their propaganda campaign, and Tyrrax Thorrk is making a general moron of himself on the forums. Me dying, check. BoB losing, check. TT being an attention-seeking drama queen, check. Yup, looks like EVE is much the same as it was four months ago.
In other news, The Drone Bay, Episode 1 (yes, it is the second show, but the first was technically Episode 0 or 0.1 or something as it was the pilot) is edited, converted, and the link is sent to Brent. Hopefully it will be up in the next day or so. As always, give us loads of feedback. Feel free to flame us, too, but know that if you do, we'll mock you on air. Also, The Drone Bay has a new GAX Group, so be sure to check that out. If you're not on GAX, you should be. Think MySpace with more gamers and fewer emo high schoolers and crappy bands.
I've been playing a bit of Tabula Rasa again,lately, and it is dangerously close to supplanting WoW as my non-EVE MMO of choice. They've done a lot to the game since the weeks after release when I played, most of it good.
On a semi-related note, I'll be likely moving back to the States from Japan in the next couple months, so there will be a stint where there may be no podcast or blog updates for a few weeks. I'll give warning when this is getting closer. On a note related to the semi-related note, I'm looking for a job stateside, so if you want to throw buckets of cash at me to prognosticate and give opinions born of an inflated ego, please send me an e-mail, or simply make out checks to cash and send them to me.
In other news, The Drone Bay, Episode 1 (yes, it is the second show, but the first was technically Episode 0 or 0.1 or something as it was the pilot) is edited, converted, and the link is sent to Brent. Hopefully it will be up in the next day or so. As always, give us loads of feedback. Feel free to flame us, too, but know that if you do, we'll mock you on air. Also, The Drone Bay has a new GAX Group, so be sure to check that out. If you're not on GAX, you should be. Think MySpace with more gamers and fewer emo high schoolers and crappy bands.
I've been playing a bit of Tabula Rasa again,lately, and it is dangerously close to supplanting WoW as my non-EVE MMO of choice. They've done a lot to the game since the weeks after release when I played, most of it good.
On a semi-related note, I'll be likely moving back to the States from Japan in the next couple months, so there will be a stint where there may be no podcast or blog updates for a few weeks. I'll give warning when this is getting closer. On a note related to the semi-related note, I'm looking for a job stateside, so if you want to throw buckets of cash at me to prognosticate and give opinions born of an inflated ego, please send me an e-mail, or simply make out checks to cash and send them to me.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Stop Whining About Suicide Ganking!
High security space suicide ganks have been a part of the game since its inception. Why is it suddenly such a game breaking problem now in the eyes of the forum rabblers? Barely a day goes by where there's not another page of posts complaining about suicide gankers. This week it's the Goons' targetting of exhumers mining in high sec. Six months ago, it was Outbreak ganking freighters, something now considered a common threat. Since when did EVE become about anything but surviving in an extremely hostile universe?
CONCORD has never provided protection, only consequences, kindof like...you know...real police.
More to come.
CONCORD has never provided protection, only consequences, kindof like...you know...real police.
More to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
