Jita Park Speakers Corner

from http://poeticstanziel.blogspot.ca/2013/04/why-two-step-will-be-missed-on-csm.html

We vote our representatives to be exactly that, to be advocates for the playerbase, to fight our fights when necessary. That's something we saw very little of during CSM7's term in office.

Two Step understood why he was elected. Over the very strong objections of his fellow representatives, he took his advocacy public, he took the fight public. He rallied his fellow players, and brought the power of hundreds of voices to CCP's doorstep.

In late 2012 CCP announced that it would not be tackling a player-owned starbase [POS] revamp in 2013. Based on the verbiage of that dev post, it did not seem like CCP would tackle the project in 2014 either. The playerbase has long wanted a POS revamp, they were expecting a POS revamp. There was a feeling of betrayal, a feeling of having the rug pulled out from under them, when CCP made their announcement. "This is a change that will only affect a small number of players. We do not see the benefit of investing the large number of resources it would require to revamp POSes for a small percentage of the playerbase."

Two Step was understandably upset with this announcement. He represents wormhole players, players who must use POSes as the backbone of their organizations and operations. The shortcomings of current POS design affect them most deeply. Of course, Two Step knew about CCP's decision for weeks, but being under NDA restrictions could not talk about it publicly. That is, until CCP made the announcement themselves.

Against the strong objections of his fellow CSM7 representatives, who feared that rocking the boat, calling out CCP's decision publicly, could affect their access to development, he rallied the playerbase on the forums. He created a thread through which players could voice their dissatisfaction with the CCP starbase decision.

Unlike his fellow representatives, Two Step advocated for his constituents. He was not concerned with self-interest. he was not concerned with keeping CCP happy. He recognized, correctly, that his role, as given to him by the players, was not to ensure CCP's comfort, but to speak for the players, and to do it strongly and forcefully when necessary. This was one of those necessary moments.

Behind the scenes, the rest of CSM7 berated Two Step for his actions, fretting and worrying that CCP could, at any moment, cut off their privileged access. These were CSM representatives worried less about player concerns, and worried more about their own self-interest. These weren't advocates for the players, but advocates for their own privilege.

Like The Mittani, during CSM6, during the Incarna and Greed is Good debacles, Two Step took to his activism at exactly the right time and to exactly the right degree. He risked the animus of his CSM colleagues to do what he thought was right, to stand up for player concerns and expectations. Some would argue he put the CCP/CSM relationship at risk, but I disagree with that assertion strongly.

I for one believe that CCP has a thick-skin, and since it was they who created the CSM as a player-advocacy group, that very much expect and applaud when player-concerns are brought to them in a loud, clear and concerted voice. Two Step did exactly that. The player-demand for POS fixes was over 150 pages long. That is a voice that CCP could not fail to recognize.

It could be argued that Two Step's advocacy is the only reason why POS bandaids are being applied this Odyssey expansion. Without Two Step's advocacy, it is very likely that no POS work would have been attempted during 2013. Without Two Step gathering the players to voice their displeasure, CCP would have remained in the dark about the importance of POSes to the playerbase, the importance to a much larger percentage of players than CCP previously imagined.

Two Step is to be applauded. The only person on CSM7 with the gumption to stand up to his colleagues, to do exactly what he was elected to do, to advocate for his constituents. The CSM could use more Two Steps. Raising a hue and cry is not always necessary, but we need CSM representatives who can recognize when it is necessary and who have the balls do what is necessary, even in the face of opposition. CSM8 should take heed of Two Step's actions, and what the power of activism can accomplish.

My comment to your blog:

While I appreciate the complement, I have a couple of bones to pick with this post.

Firstly, not everyone on the CSM opposed me doing what I did. Some were 100% behind me, and nearly everyone agreed at least somewhat with my actions. I'd also point out that without the work of many of the other CSM members, even the small POS fixes we are getting might not have happened (or been as extensive as they hopefully will prove to be). Specifically, Alek, Hans and Trebor all worked really hard, and certainly deserve much credit.

Secondly, I *did* put the CCP/CSM relationship at risk, and my one regret was not talking a little more to the right people at CCP *before* the threadnaught. I don't think they could have said anything that would have changed my mind, but they deserved to have at least a heads up before the forum post.

Thirdly, the threadnaught was very risky on its own. Luckily people stayed civil and constructive, and the feedback I got from many people at CCP was that it was the nicest threadnaught they had ever seen. The credit for that is all on the people who posted, and without *them*, the pretty positive situation we are in right now could have been very very different.

As for CSM 8, I hope they are never in a situation where a threadnaught seems like a good option to them. When everything is working correctly, a threadnaught shouldn't be needed at all, and you certainly shouldn't judge an entire CSM term by one.

Vikings can be very sensitive

I think you're forgetting that the primary purpose of the CSM is to produce drama for people to blog about.

Can you cite examples of this happening?

You're implying that CCP see the "usefulness" of the CSM as agreeing with them, despite numerous statements directly stating the opposite. I can also cite multiple incidents of the CSM publically strongly disagreeing with CCP, without the disagreeing members being kicked of the CSM, or CCP disbanding the CSM altogether. It is obvious therefore, that CCP do not see the CSM's function to be sycophantic, and that they won't kick people out just for disagreeing with them.

The factor you are missing is this: you can disagree with a colleague in a professional, constructive way that leads to an improved final situation, and that colleague - even if he's your manager or your employer, will not necessarily think the worse of you. In fact if he's worth the money he's paid, he'll respect and value you all the more.

Even when CCP were deep inside the :18 months: reality bubble, they never lost the plot so badly as to sanction the CSM for disagreeing with them.

So again, I challenge you: since you stated it as fact, cite your incidents of it actually happening.

I was specifically talking about the change that seems to have occurred during CSM7 and why they suddenly became CCP cheerleaders.

Maybe you can point to CSM7 strongly disagreeing with CCP?

It is either CCP has become a threat to the continued survival of the CSM, if it speaks out or CSM7 were really very paranoid and have acted in what they perceive as a climate of fear. In that they must not speak out or they will have access removed from them or the removal of the CSM its self.

To be honest the best test of what is going on will be CSM8, if you act like CSM7, it will pretty much confirm it.
And I dont mean with the lack of communication and lack of transparency, I mean if you remain quiet when they are screwing something up, Odyssey will be a good test of CSM8 as will the next expansion.

What I was meaning was that CSM8 will be in office when Odyssey is released, so locked in or not the CSM should speak out if CCP completely screw something up. As we have seen in the past locked in does not mean unalterable.

And incidentally, since you can't cite a single example of CCP sanctioning even 1 CSM member for disagreeing with them, I'm going to go ahead and call bullshit on your statement that they would.

It's bullshit, you're completely wrong, you should man up and admit it.

Publically accusing someone who makes their living in the gaming industry of breaking an NDA is an extremely serious step. If Miss Jobse hadn't broken it, then it would very difficult to explain why she would just supinely accept that career-destroying accusation and leave it unanswered.

EDIT: I mean apart from the obvious fact of her shy, self-effacing, publicity-avoiding nature