CSM Campaigns

I'd like to formally announce my candidacy for CSM Representative for CSM9 in 2014.

As a platform I will focus on the items which matter not just to Razor Alliance and CFC in general but additionally the aspects of the game I feel like I have a means to contribute to. Notable items on my item list are:

- The Implementation of Additional Post Rubicon Mobile Structures
- Pushing Mobile Structures as a Framework for replacing existing POS code entirely
- Pressing for More Responsive and less boring PVE from the ground up from Agent Missions to Incursions
- Implementation of a means to include Player Contributions within the lore and metaplot of EVE.
- Development of in game camera tools to allow communities to process better video content
- Focusing on the Post New Player Experience Player. Making "Where do I go from here" more fluid and exciting.
- Developing the staff and tools required to make Live Events worth attending and cross multiple Time Zones.
- Bridging the Business Gap between CCP advertisement and Viral Player Generated Advertisement.

A little about the player behind Roland:

What you should know about me is that I'm a Regional Warehousing and Logistics Manager for DISH Network in North Carolina (US). I hold a Bachelors of Science from University of Hawaii at Manoa, as well as an Associates of Arts in Business from the University of South Carolina. I'm a 14 year Veteran of the United States Air Force formerly as a Load Master and currently an Air Transportation Specialist as an Inactive Reservist. I am a father of one son who has Autism Spectrum Disorder and a 10 year EVE Online player. I am a self confessed D&D/Comic nerd who spends too much time station spinning, reading forums, posting on TMC and testing on SISI.

I feel as though I have the most to offer in creating a bridge from the new player to the Intermediate Player. As a long time "not so bitter" bittervet, I've been fortunate enough to see the game evolve and grow into what we play on today. Our PVP is (at times) the most addictive things out there as far as MMO's go, no other game conveys the sheer heart pumping action that evading a gate camp or brawling outrageous in Battlecruisers does. What we lack is convincing, well thought out, and rewarding solo PVE experience and a lot of wasted resources on Lore Content that should be flavoring our experience rather than just providing a reason why some ships tank armor and some tank shield.

With ideas that should be cross promoted such as micro Vanguard style incursion-esque missions for 3-5 pilots working in concert, to Lore Arcs that allow capsuleers to declare who they are in EVE's history amongst the factions, to the return of lower tier content to Lowsec and Null, enabling lower SP players to still earn isk on par with their losses in these unforgiving regions that serve as our School of Hard knocks.

I'd like to see increased player tools like better more cinematic friendly Camera Controls, intuitive corp/alliance wallet functions, Coalition level support in game ala Alliance functions. Status options such as (AFK) and Do not accept Fleet Warps options in fleet and a focus on the post new player experience player. The 3-6 month old character that has an idea of what they want to do but isn't aware of game resources that are available with which to follow up on. With the sheer amount of Player Generated content, a simple up vote/down vote system of selecting good tools could be displayed in a single window.

As a potential candidate for the CSM I look forward to trying to Represent RAZOR, the CFC, and all the players who have ever crossed my path. It's my largest goal to help make this game even better over the next year by integrating you the players’ ideas and showing CCP how much we all enjoy this game. I hope I can be as good a steward of that responsibility as possible if chosen.


Thank you for your consideration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_XNuNRgcAE

Opening introductions do tend to have a vague feeling to them, but I recognize the need to delve further into more pressing issues. One of the most severe problems with trying to engage the wider audience here is that I'm specifically trying not to 'pick up' where existing and former CSM's have left off and count that as what I intend to accomplish. These smaller less grand scope changes are going to be the items I push for personally. The bloc level pushes are already out there. Everyone in null wants to be done with the terrible grinding of structures as a mechanic. As a participant on many a siege fleet, I cannot tell you that there aren't any times that I loathe creating timers for the timer gods in hopes that someone might have a fight for the thing which may not even occur in my time zone if it does. The long and short of it is that basing your "this is what separates me from candidate x and y" off widely scoped issues is also very vanilla and bland.

My personal convictions? I'm a huge advocate of upgrading the difficulty of taking over and maintaining Sov by use of activity. If you don't actively use the system, its going to be very easy to take over and thus harder to defend. Is it your main 'Home'? That's the spot you're going to find trouble. There should be a direct correlation to the usage and importance of a system to its' strategic difficulty in capturing. It bother's me to no end that I can fly 10 jumps in null without seeing a soul, these systems should be the breeding ground of the entry into Null, much as a small WH group could go into a random C3 and live for a short amount of time, there should be room for this kind of thing to happen in Null as well. Farmers and Fields is not a terrible idea in this game. The problem is that existing sov mechanics don't reward the lowest end of play any more than eking out an existence in high sec. That too is vague, but just browsing the features section of the EVE Forums you can get a great feel for what the Developers are already chiming in on. I don't think any entity should feel the need to maintain vast swaths of space beyond a jump bridge system here and there, I also think that Coalition level standings should exist in this game, as it's a feature that doesn't exist that the players themselves dreamt up and manage on their own.

Mobile structure framework is not currently tied into the existing POS coding. Modular Built POS's have been popular in the forums for several years but continually suffered from the problem that developers had to pour an excessive amount of coding hours in unraveling the Gordian Knot that is the existing POS's. Yet we have new framework we could build something completely different off of to build complex structures which depend on which mods are installed to designate the structure's use. In engineering if you can't improve a structure due to a technical flaw, and you can't destroy it to start again without compromising the integrity of surrounding structures, your three options are a) Scrap the entire project and start over b) Continue using the problematic entity as long as it works or c) build a new working structure within the existing framework that is capable of improvement and discontinue the use of existing entity. From a business sense CCP is unlikely to shut down servers for the necessary time it would take to remove Legacy code and bring in the programming upgrades that continually burn up the forums. Would I quit the game? No. I've been in it for 10 years and I'll be hanging on till the day the Icelandic company shuts it's doors, however others would.

I have to say that PVE is terrible in this game. Particularly for the mid tier players without access to tools or knowledge necessary to earn back the equipment they could lose during what I feel is arguably the best part of the game, PVP. The changes I propose are to give players some additional options in their ISK making options especially in the combat related areas. Setting up 3-5 player oriented Micro Incursions similar to Vanguard sites in the Sansha's Incursions that require a small gang to act in concert in the same manner a fleet would not only encourages good PVP practices, but also livens up the dull and solitary nature of low end PVE. Returning Low End sites to Lowsec is on my priority list, because currently if you do choose to engage in piracy at a relatively low SP range, you must rely on an outside source for isk, and in my experience brawling in T1 frigates in lowsec should be one of the first things everyone tries when getting into EVE as soon as possible.

My stance on Lore and Metaplot has a lot more to do with holding CCP to their initial promise that we, the players would be able to leave a mark on the game. Lore is the backstory and flavor of EVE. For a lot of people and I dare say likely the majority, its completely ignored in favor of focusing on the game mechanics themselves. In a conversation I had with CCP Falcon ages ago, we both agreed that Game Mechanics will never be changed, due to a change in the Lore/story but often things in the Lore will change with Game Mechanics. My opinion is that there is no reason that the Sov wars that rock this game's very economic game play should have a solid mention. The fact that the CFC currently controls more real estate than the Amarr Empire is actually amazing. The Sov empires are juggernauts and honestly with the route that CCP is taking with the Empire essentially trying to pull reigns back in on the Capsuleers they created, this is precisely something that needs to be in the backstory.

continued:

+1 support as an alliance member & friend.

+1 I endorse this candidate

+1 I support this candidate.

And My Vulture!

+1

An outstanding candidate, PVE could definitely use a revamp!
Looks like I'm not the only one tired of linear missions with no give or take.

+1 I support this candidate

As a corp mate, and as a friend, but most importantly as someone who sees logic and reasoning in his candidacy platform, I endorse this candidate! I'll openly compaign for him as well!

From a carebear point of view, especially in research and development, along with the story/lore behind everything, I like where this guy's head is and the ideas that he has proposed. I endorse this candidate!

Enjoyed what you had to say, the only thing I am not particular fan of is the up/down vote system you mention and the newbie experience, as that is almost the opposite of mine I find that complete freedom of not actually being sure what to do now gives a great feeling in terms of I know how to fly, but now it's up to me to create that story. Yes it is a harder experience than a universe where the story is streamlined, but I don't feel that is the thing that stops people from subscribing as I'm sure they've done a little bit of research on the type of game it is.

In my opinion the only real bother is the UI and the structure of how things work when starting out, it is extremely confusing but saying that once you get used to it, it kind of makes sense in a strange way, I learned to like it.

However I believe that would need a serious re-designing, that I am not sure is worth it in the end as it will take awhile for everyone to get re-adjust and it will probably change the feel of flying/living in New Eden.

One question for you, saw you hit on the AFK status, which other statuses do you have in mind and do you think of them as mandatory and in what way do you believe this will change EVE?