Jita Park Speakers Corner

VOTE FOR SELEENE!

Why am I running for re-election for the Council of Stellar Management (CSM) 7?

CCP is a much changed company from what it was a year ago, but we still have a lot of work to do. If I am reelected to the Council of Stellar Management (CSM), I will continue to fight tirelessly for the changes you demand. Last year’s CSM built bridges and tore down walls, and I’m proud to have played a crucial role in serving the EVE community. The results of our work is obvious – increased dev blogs, more dev activity on Twitter and other social media, video dev blogs and a renewed commitment from CCP to ITERATE on spaceships while they sort out a better way to do space dolls properly.

Continuing to improve on the communication and accountability processes between the players and the developers will be essential in the success of the next CSM. As someone that has been passionately involved from both sides of the fence for more than eight years, I have proven I can do this very effectively.

As a Game Designer at CCP for more than three years, I watched from the inside as the CSM grew from an experiment into something that is now one of the most powerful, driving forces for change in the direction of EVE Online. Last year, I ran for CSM 6 and was elected with 3,813 votes. I need your help to keep the torches burning and the pitchforks held high!

The term ‘bitter vet’ is tossed around a lot, but imagine it from the side of someone that actually worked on the game and, over and over, saw months of effort wrecked in a matter of weeks due to mismanagement, misunderstanding and just plain short-sightedness. This was the same disconnect with the player base that gave us invulnerable starbases in Sov 4 and area of effect (AoE) Titan doomsdays.

CCP’s pattern of short-sightedness is a cause of near daily frustration, and I never waste an opportunity to preach about it to the other CSM members or the player base at large. It is a big part of what drove me to run for CSM 6 and something I plan to focus on in CSM 7. CCP is working toward un-******* all of this, and I want to make damn sure I am in a position to help keep them focused.

Ultimately, I believe that every EVE player, from the most bitter vets to the most happy carebears, all want the same thing - a fun and balanced game to play. While my preferred play style may be making people explode and cry, I have a broader perspective because of the work I did on EVE as a dev. I want to see everyone have an equally enjoyable game experience whatever their play style. Having worked in game design for more than three years at CCP, I've had to apply creative thinking to a variety of play styles. I love that EVE is hard and fun and rewarding. When you login it should say "This is EVE. You've been warned." That's the kind of game we all started playing and that is the game I want EVE to be again.

My Goals as a member of CSM 7

EVE ONLINE - ITERATIONS was the cornerstone of my CSM 6 campaign, and I intend to continue with that mantra. To me, EVE Online has always been a game about spaceships.

When it comes to how I would like to see CCP use their resources in the near future, the top three things I would like to see happen are:

1.) Fix / finish null sec sov

2.) Improve Factional Warfare & life in low-sec

3.) A full blown industrial expansion: EVE's Industrial Revolution

My reasons for that order are that I very much want to see CCP iterate on and complete the first two systems that have been lingering in apathy for years now. More importantly, I don't want CCP touching #3 until they can literally put a full expansion's worth of resources into it. It is not an easy task as everything in EVE springs from the way we mine, build and trade. I don't want them rushing it!

I want to see everyone happily blowing each other up and then I would like to see an industry expansion that allows us to invent / build new and fun ways to keep the violence going strong!

To quote myself in a blog I wrote recently: "A lot of people asked me why I was running for CSM when I had already worked at the company. You know who didn't ask? The people still working at the company.”

Here is another blog entry that might shed some light as well: CSM vs. CCP Employee

Many think the CSM is some sort of silly propaganda machine, but, having been on both sides of the table, I can say that I wouldn't invest my time into the CSM if that were true. As an employee, there are rules of interaction that you have to follow and you have to watch that you are not stepping too far outside of the box. We CSM members just have to make sure we don't say 'secret stuff.' The number of CCP employees who have approached CSM6 members at summits, in Reykjavik bars, or daily on Skype tells me that we have made a positive impact. I'm of the firm opinion that the CSM has and can continue to make a difference.

What did I do at CCP?

My Game Design Retrospective presentation @ FanFest 2009 [Video]

I’ve heard many space friends and colleagues point to Apocrypha as an example of a great expansion. Right now, with the amount of resources that have been refocused on EVE, there is the potential for an 'Apocrypha' nearly every three months. There are literally five times the number of teams working on EVE today as there were a few months ago. The actual content of what is to come is certainly going to be the subject of many CSM and CCP chats, but it will be your influence in those chats as we continually improve our channels of communication.

Stuff People Say:

Meissa Anunthiel, CSM 2,3,4,5 & 6 Delegate:

"I've had the pleasure of working with Seleene on improving the game throughout the years since CSM 2, when he was known as CCP Abathur. As an example of his willingness to put effort into it, he once had a brainstorming session with us for 6 hours... by text... on a Sunday!

Seleene is a veteran player and obviously knowledgeable about the game in general, and when it comes to medium to large scale PvP and 0.0 in particular. Unlike many delegates over the years, he actually bothered to contribute, participate and make the voice of the people who voted for him (or didn't) heard. Shouldn't he already have it, he'd have earned my respect for that alone. I hope I have the chance to work with him again."

Two Step, CSM 6 Alternate Delegate (Super Awesome WH dude):

"Seleene was a great rep on CSM 6, and I expect he will do the same on CSM 7. Seleene has *always* been willing to raise issues even if those would hurt whatever alliance he is currently in. This includes advocating for nerfs to supercaps while he flies one himself and his alliance (PL) is widely known as the largest users of supers. He has done a fantastic job representing *everyone* who plays this game. Thanks to all of you who voted him on CSM 6, it would have been a much worse CSM without him."

Trebor Daehdoow, CSM 5 & 6 Delegate:

"Mark (Seleene) was one of the most effective members of CSM6; he doesn't give a **** about getting credit for stuff getting done, he just cares that stuff gets done, and that CCP deploys their resources efficiently to provide improvements for the whole community.

I don't think you'll find a single member of the CSM -- or CCP dev -- whose opinion you respect that will have anything less than unreserved praise for how much *effort* he put in. A vote for Seleene will not be wasted."

Krutoj, CSM 6 Delegate:

"Having Mark on CSM6 have definitively help push a lot of key fixes through and having his experience as well as other 0.0 members helped open up a better outlook on the issues we have worked on with CCP. Mark is one of the few CSM members I can be proud to have worked with on CSM6."

Mynxee, CSM 5 Chair:

"He brings a unique perspective to the CSM due to the combination of being a long-term player with wide experience in the game, a former CCP dev, and now a seasoned CSM member. He's not shy about calling bullshit on anyone and doesn't sugar coat it when he does. Besides that, no one can write a more impassioned, convincing, and humorous wall of text about CSM issues than he can. A vote for Seleene will be a vote for a broad-based perspective and passion for the game."

Noisrevbus, Excellent forum poster:

"Knowing he understands the complexity of a given situation and is willing to open up to it, makes Seleene a clear pick for me this round. A candidate who is willing and able to take the discussion is better than anyone who simply agree or disagree. I prefer lasting tangible results over simply being thrown a bone, and i prefer being challenged over patted. Thus, i know voting for Seleene mean i can feel somewhat safely represented through that ideal, not quality as professionalism but as in depth understanding of the game. Showing commitment beyond that is only flattering - and I'll do my best to continue to hound everyone when it comes to priorities."

Raivi, EVE Alliance Commentator, Hero of the Legion and Sexy Man Beast:

"Seleene obviously worked really hard for CSM 6 and his experience as a prominent dev is very valuable. I'm convinced that CSM 7 won't be at it's full potential without him on it."

Shadoo, EVE Alliance Commentator and Pandemic Legion Grand Admiral:

"Love him, or hate him -- you have to admit the man has been there, done that and knows not only the game mechanics, but also can appriciate the difficulties in balancing corporate pressures and tight game release schedules. I think that gives him a unique position to speak as a peer, not only a customer, when it comes to important game wide issues."

This is my big CSM Q&A thread where I've already done a lot of.... Q&A!!

Ask me about "The CSM" Q&A LINKAGE

Here are some links to my most read blog posts from the past year:

EVE's Industrial Revolution

FIGHTING FOR INDUSTRY

FanFest 2011 Retrospective

CSM 6 May Summit Reflections

MegaTransactions & Incarna 1.0

CSM Emergency Summit - The Aftermath

Reality Check – My most read blog ever, detailing my frustration with CCP before Crucible.

CSM 6 December Summit Report

The Dec Summit Minutes and "The CSM"

Low Sec Q&A

DUST 514 & Buzzwords

One of the worst CSMs right here.

As much as I don't like PL... I have to respect both you, and the work you have done on the CSM.

Not empty quoting this guy.

Even though I've spent most of my time in Eve shooting Seleene and his corp/alliances (since shooting the MC in 2006), he's still one of the most competent people for the CSM. He knows the game and seems to have reasonable ideas for the future of Eve.

Seleene was a great rep on CSM 6, and I expect he will do the same on CSM 7. +1 from me!

I'll be your huckleberry.

Lemme get this straight - are you saying you don't like Selene ?

Mark/Seleene worked hard on CSM6 and was a key element in its success.

A vote for Seleene will not be wasted. The only way to make it count for more would be to vote for that Trebor fellow.