Jita Park Speakers Corner

from a friend: http://poeticstanziel.blogspot.ca/2012/11/csm7-winter-summit-those-nda-sessions.html

So, CSM7's winter summit runs December 12th to December 14th 2012. They've listed the sessions during the three days of the summit.

It all sounds good, open and transparent, except for four particular sessions, which are clouded by the mystery of the NDA.

What might we assume about those NDA sessions? If we examine the sessions during the spring summit, we might be able to tease out some of the more obvious topics that apparently CCP feel are a big giant secret, that the playerbase should not know about. Because, you know, session headings give away the farm.

There are 21 sessions listed during the winter summit. Four of those are under NDA, and one of those being a double session. There were 22 sessions at the spring summit.

What sessions do the spring and winter summits have in common? What sessions are missing from the winter summit that were part of the spring summit? What sessions are new?

Common: Stakeholder, Live Events, EVE/Dust Link, EVE UI, Nullsec, Corporation Management, Wardecs and Crimewatch, Factional Warfare, Art, Ship Balance and Iteration, Community Site, Player Experience, and EVE Economy.

New: Improvements on Bounty Hunting, CREST for 3rd Parties, Voting System Changes, and EVE Marketing.

Missing: White Paper, the Next Expansion, EVE Future, The State of Incarna, Industry and Mining, Starbase Rework, Client Launcher, Player-to-Player Contracts, Content, and Security.

So there are 14 sessions in common between spring and winter. There are four new session topics (though one falls under the purview of a now missing topic), and 10 missing topics.

So what missing topics might be topics that will be discussed this winter, topics that CCP feel are secret and covered by NDA?

One of the new topics, Voting System Changes, is a topic that was briefly covered under White Paper discussions during the spring summit. So the White Paper is still being discussed, though in a more specific form. So we can assume that White Paper is not an entirely missing topic of discussion.

The next expansion. During the spring there was a session devoted to the Winter 2012 expansion. It is exceptionally strange if there is no discussion at the winter summit concerning plans for the Summer 2013 expansion. I think we can safely assume that one of the four NDA topics will concern itself with EVE's future, and in particular the next expansion. Why has it been NDA'd? I have no idea. A surprise? "Surprise everyone! There is going to be an expansion come summer 2013!"

EVE's Future was discussed in detail during the spring. We can assume it will be touched on during the exceptionally likely, but very secret, Summer 2013 session.

The State of Incarna. Experimentation with meaningful walking in station gameplay has been put on hold by CCP Unifex. I think we can assume there is not much to talk about here, until such time that CCP feels it is worth development resources again.

Industry and Mining. Very strange that this is not a topic of discussion. It's not as though CCP has not laid out some broad plans for mining. Ring mining in particular. It's certainly a strong possibility that mining, very possibly ring mining, will be a session of discussion. As well, given all the talk recently concerning mineral compression, where it impacts super-capital production, that too may be a topic of discussion. Both of these may be folded into a single session, or they may be broken into discrete sessions. At any rate, industry and mining will be discussed, probably in very specific terms, thus CCP's desire to NDA those topics. Perhaps they don't want to get people's hopes too high if they see ring mining as a session.

Starbase Rework. Also known as the POS (player-owned starbase) revamp. Again, very hard to believe that this will not be discussed in further detail, especially given that CCP has had nearly half a year to further think about these ideas and how to develop them. I would be very surprised if this was not one of the NDA sessions.

Client Launcher. Not much to discuss here beyond what was discussed at the spring summit. This will not be a session during the winter summit.

Player-to-Player Contracts. This could be a session again. It's hard to say if CCP plans to continue with their plans, as outlined during the spring summit. Very little has been heard about this since. I would guess that it will not be a specific topic of discussion with a session devoted to it.

Content. I think this is being folded into the Player Experience session. In the spring, it was called New Player Experience, this winter it is being expanded to the Player Experience (new and old.)

Security. I think CCP Sreegs said all that needed to be said about security during the spring. His job continues. Other than refining the process, there's likely not much new that needs further discussion.

So, four NDA sessions, but likely we've sussed out three of the potential topics, one of which has to be a sure thing. Summer 2013 Expansion. Industry and Mining, with ring mining and mineral compression as the two likely important topics of discussion. These might even be split into two separate sessions. And the POS Revamp (aka Starbase Rework).

We'll hopefully find out more when the Winter Summit minutes are released, that at least the session topics will be knowledge given to us, the players.

What other strong possibilities exist for these mystery sessions?

And edit this one, so everyone can tune in via the twittertubeosphere on the proper day:



Who is this bad poster anyways? There is a report button for talking to mods about posts. I will show you how it works here, gimme a sec.....

On the issue of NDA topics:

It's not just to hide the content from competition in the market, it's also to hide it from players.

Knowing what the EVE community is like if I was potentially planning something really exciting I'd rather not tell everyone about it until I know it's going ahead for sure. Part of it is about managing expectation and EVE players tend to be very vocal when these expectations aren't met.

Personally I think that's a good thing as it keeps CCP on their toes (and honest, you wouldn't get Peter Molyneux working there thanks to us) but on the flip side it means if they are planning something which is susceptible to not happennig or changing a lot you don't want the information out there.

3rd page \o/

New personal record :D

Some of the topics are already being addressed by ccp in the upcoming expansion. Giving player input is good, but not much of a need to pressure CCP on changes to crime and bounty system (and others) when it is already in the works.

Something not being addressed that realy could realy use work is POS. I can't think of something that is so important to many things being outdated and cumbersome. Putting aside the appearance itself, the whole non-customizable hangers and roles, roles and hangers in POS's being the same across the universe, and not being based off pos. Also the ability to launch them for either personnel, corp, or alliance level, and transfer between any of the above.

Ditto to most of what others have said about nullsec industry.

It's not hard to guess the four topics that are under NDA. Hell, several of the biggest issues and problems with the game aren't listed which means they're either being ignored (again) or they are the NDA topics.

Such topics as:
Moon goo
Blob warfare
Projection of power
Chat and market bots
Lowsec purpose and direction
POS functionality

POS revamp

where is it?

let me guess, maybe in 2014

F###

Expectations are high already, CPP misses out on this feature in 2013 and lets see what happens. Last time expectations were high and CPP fail to deliver we got a **** storm!


yep, im already starting to fell all my hope going away, maybe is time to replace it with rage and I know exactly were to point it this time...

yes Im looking at you all, the CSM

Stop being neutral, you are not neutral, you are there to represent the players not to be CCP pals and buddies. Last CSM at least pushed something: TIDI ! but this year... tell me, what feature did you back up when you took office? and CCP deliver it?

Can the CSM grow some balls and put their voice behing at least ONE major feature and push it? and keep pushing it until is done!

Choose one, don't try to push all of them, by writting a document with nice to have features, devided by groups of players, etc, etc, etc... my experience tells me that, that document is probably already beeing used as toilet paper by the game designers.

CCP like most companies has limited resources and budget allocated to the project and if a client arrives with a list full of huge features, they will pick one and ignore the rest, the problem is that they migth pick the least wanted one so that is were the CSM must intervene, tell them the ONE you want first, pick one, make that choice public so everyone know and back you all up and lets see what CCP does when everyone is looking at them and waiting for that ONE major feature.

Focus on ONE feature and get it done! don't give up, don't move from the path, keep going until CCP delivers. CMS 6 put all its strength behing TIDI and got it done, its time for this CSM to do the same.


The general concensus arround here is that you aren't doing nothing but talk. We want to see results and so far in CSM 7 I can't see ****. Do something that we can see, thouch and remember in the future, thank you.


CSM 6 "saved" Eve in the summer of rage and got TIDI done, and CMS7, what did you all do so far that we can remember in the future and associate you all with?

This is an excellent idea, actually. Definitely going in my notes for our upcoming talks.

One change just in, see first post for update.

Maybe the 4th NDA session is a discussion about selling tin-foil hats for your toon in the NeX store?