Jita Park Speakers Corner

Today, I am announcing my intent to seek a seat on CSM8. For those who aren't familiar with my work, I am the writer of Jester's Trek and EVE's most prolific and wide-ranging blogger. I have written more than one thousand posts and more than forty guides to playing EVE, all of it free and without advertising.


Why do I want to serve on the eighth CSM?
Because I love EVE Online and I don't want CCP to break the game we love trying to expand its audience. I am excited about the future of EVE, but it needs to be developed in a way that respects us: CCP's current customers. Why now? Because while CSM7 did a great job opening the door for more player input through the stake-holder status, they haven't done enough to bring players into the process through open communications. I want to keep the stake-holder momentum going, while bringing the players into the process. Trust me: I know communications.

Who do I represent?
I've been playing EVE for five years. In that time, I've been a miner, mission-runner, and incursion-runner. I understand and do industry and T2 invention. I was in faction warfare and I've lived full-time out of a POS in a wormhole. I've taught PvP classes and I've commanded PvP fleets. I've been in the thick of 0.0 sovereignty wafare, and today I'm in one of EVE's preeminent small-gang PvP alliances, Rote Kapelle. I understand a lot of different EVE players, because I've been where you are and I've played the game you play. Ultimately, I represent all EVE players, not just the ones that play the way I do.

What do I bring to the party?
Make no mistake: being on the CSM is a job! I will take that job seriously and will commit to doing it well. I have a very strong real-world business and communications background in the IT industry. In essense, I'm a professional negotiator. But I've also been a gamer for more than 20 years, and have represented player concerns before, as a consultant and a play-tester for RPG/miniature war game companies. For the last two plus years, I've applied that communications background to EVE Online, becoming the game's most prolific and wide-ranging blogger. I'm not going to Iceland for LOLs. CCP will take me seriously.

What changes or issues will I champion?
You can learn more about this on my blog. However, my first duty is to represent you to CCP, bringing them your concerns and suggestions. The first job of a CSM member is not to be a junior game developer. The first job of a CSM member is to represent EVE's curent players, and to bring those concerns to CCP and to represent EVE's players when CCP asks about changes they should and should not make to the game. I will hold CCP accountable to see that changes you want are made to the game, changes you don't want are not, and that CCP's agreements with previous CSMs are honored. However, some personal beliefs that guide my opinion:

* Every EVE play style is valuable! Whether you PvP, gank, mine, mission, run wormholes or incursions, or command fleets of hundreds, your play style is valuable and should be represented. EVE players -- all EVE players! -- should be encouraged to play in groups but not forced to do so, or punished if they do not wish to do so. Players that want to casually play this game in high-sec should be allowed to do so and not thought of as inferior. Too many past CSM members have represented their play style as superior to the play style of others and encouraged CCP to make the game unpleasant for those that want to play this game their way. If EVE is a sandbox, it should be a sandbox for everyone.

* Smite anything that is not fun! Ratting and plexing and mining and wormholing is one thing. We all need ISK, and that's how we get it. But so many things in EVE are simply not fun. Like anchoring and on-lining POSs. Like swapping bookmarks. Like structure bashing. Like having to move 30 jumps with 15 ships and 20 cans just because you want to join a new corp. EVE is a game! It should be fun. Anything that is not fun should be mercilessly crushed.

* Let players have more control! We're an enthusiastic bunch. Given the chance, I think many of the problems in EVE could be solved by the players. More contests to design (and redesign!) ships. More player input into the game design process. More functionality and openness for the API, for industry, market, corps, and couriers. The designers of third party apps should not have to beg CCP for years just to get the tools they need to help other EVE Online players.

* Help small alliances! The small alliances in EVE provide a lot of the fun in this game, from small-gang PvP and mission-running, to friendly regular wormhole ops, to incursion fleets, to teaching new players that don't have 40 million skill points how to play this very hard game. But EVE's small alliances are being crushed under the weight of super-rich mega-coalitions that hold all the cards.


I ask for your vote!
I will use a position on CSM8 to bring them your concerns. I want to make EVE Online the best game it can be... for all EVE players.

More information:http://jestertrek.blogspot.com
Twitter: @RipardTeg

Reserved for answers to common questions.

What does Ripard think of James 315's proposals for nerfing high-sec?
Answered in this post: http://jestertrek.blogspot.com/2013/03/things-could-be-worse.html

What does Ripard's evil twin Garth think of James 315's proposals for nerfing high-sec?
Answered in this post (NSFW language!): http://jestertrek.blogspot.com/2013/03/cannibal.html

Does Ripard feel high-sec is "too safe"? Does Ripard want high-sec to be PvP-free?
For ganking, answered in this post: http://jestertrek.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-safe-is-too-safe.html

I just finished listening to the Crossing Zebras Podcast and may I say Sir you definitely know your stuff. I enthusiastically support your candidacy. Good luck!!

and about bloody time !

you have my support.

Best wishes, finally logged in and commented on something that was worth it.

Jester's Trek blog rocks.

We do need some representation from people not in the large and powerful null alliances.

Smaller null PVP, RvB, Wormhole Space, Industrials, Pirates,Hi-Sec all need some kind of a voice that is not being covered right now by anyone in either CSM or CPP.

I don't agree with everything Jester says, nor should anyone. However at least he tries to look outside the big blue donut and has some serious experience outside it.

to the top

Ripard puts the rêpe in crêpe.

I support this candidate. For those that haven't listened to his Xander Phoena interview. You should do so. Now. Lots of good questions and good answers. He clarified a number of positions that I was mildly concerned about.

Clandestine photos from inside Malcanis' bedroom: http://www.mycoolthing.com/images/product-bonsai-cat.jpg

Stuffing them in bottles is NOT torture! :D

While I may disagree with some of what Ripard says, I think he would make a great CSM rep. I literally cannot wait to see what he does when he sees things form the inside.