Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Sorry, I missed your post.

In the manner of my previous post, here's an illustration of the problem area of the Somer situation: http://i.imgur.com/8wQjDb2.png

Note how, from an abstract Somer perspective, $$$ flows in, and in-game items flow out? That rubbed a lot of people, including me, the wrong way, as it looks like RMT. It does not matter how well Blink pays off (and 25% payout is really really really bad), if you spend RL money and end up with in-game items from anyone other than CCP, it's RMT.


Really? I run several good websites with large audiences, and it doesn't cost me over $50/month. That's not expensive at all. Sure, it costs in free time, but that's the whole fun in it. Or are you suggesting content creators should get reimbursed for their work in the form of a salary?

Hell, since I code 3rd party stuff and host it for free, I'm losing money creating content for Eve. I do it because I like Eve and want to contribute, not for the money. If this proposal were a thing, I would definitely take advantage of it, but my motivation would remain Eve-oriented. Other people who are not as Eve-oriented would "create content", driven by the search for cash. That does not sound right to me.

How do you feel about a CCP-approved way to support your favorite content creator: a Paypal "Donate" button? Or site advertisements? It keeps real money out of the Eve ecosystem, and supports content creators.

I find it amusing that you take all that at face value, since no one other than SOMERblink themselves (and possibly, although not definitely CCP) can verify that data.

No rush.

Well, that illustration makes no sense and looks horrible, so I will disregard it. The only thing that keeps ISK in Somer's coffers is the players, not SOMER. Still, your Somerblink witch hunt is invalid.

Isn't a "CCP-approved way" being addressed here? It is about supporting your favorite content creator with real money, and if that can go hand in hand with GTC purchasing, it is a win-win for everyone.

Thank you everyone for your replies for and against. I will try to address all of the points generically as I see they have been raised and not specifically. If you feel I don't address your issue, then feel free to raise it again as a point.

First I will address a little confusion in my post, which will clear up the PLEX supply/price RMT issue. I said PLEX, but I meant GTC. PLEX is the converted in game item, while GTC is the out-of-game, sellable item. I mean referral sales of GTC, not PLEX in the statement above. Selling PLEX directly for out of game currency (cash money b*tches), isn't what I intend.

In some of your scenarios above, if you feel that you are creating content for your love of Eve, then by all means do so. Heck, you could even enroll in said program if only to offer referral GTC at cost without any profit to yourself if only to screw everyone else. I am not saying that success is not its own reward, but that doesn't have to be it. The best content is and will always created by true Eve pilots.

SOMER above is not actually the primary point. It was, however, what lit the fire, so it is easiest to address. I could have easily mentioned Goonswarm, using GTC sales to fund deeper and greater renter space management, TS hosting, player retreats, music videos with laser cats, whatever. As to who generates content vs. who doesn't, I would say that by default, everyone is considered a content generator. Every pilot has the chance to dramatically alter the landscape of Eve, whether it be the next IGB website, or just awoxing mega corps for giggles. The idiot that thought it was a good idea to undock with 40+ PLEX in a shuttle has affected the price and availability of PLEX through its imminent destruction. Even a blind pig finds acorn every once in a while.

My idea of a framework is along the lines of CCP saying:

• This is what you can do, here are some examples a, b, c
• If you do something that results in x, y, z we'll stop you, our discretion
• If what you do technically isn't x, y, z but we feel it looks like it anyway, we'll stop you, our discretion
• If what you do still doesn't look like x, y, z but we don't like it, we'll stop you, our discretion
• If you are going to do this in an approved way, then you will need to make these things transparent, and make these reporting requirements into our audits api
• You are selling GTC under this program, through the existing reseller network and under their conditions (one of the issues raised in the CSM8 is with security of payment information through potential scam websites for people seeking RMT type transactions, that once the RMT seller is shutdown, they may try/succeed a final unauthorized cash-grab of all users)

This is a sandbox, but it is their sandbox. They make the rules. They know the cards on the table, in the deck, in your hand and up your sleeve. They have amazing analytics at their disposal (even reading through the CSM8 minutes, you can see the economic data that was made available). They know "what's in your wallet", how you got it, where it came from, what peer group you are in based on your activities, roughly what your alts are, etc. They know (or could very easily) how much was coming in and out of any GTC referral reseller. If it doesn't make financial sense, I wouldn't expect CCP to do it anyway. I don't expect them to ruin the game. I am simply making a suggestion that will probably never happen, but I am going to post it regardless of it being flame-bait.

I seek this, not really as a potential direct beneficiary. I am better at making behind the scenes tools. That's all this is, a proposal for a potential toolset in the form of a framework.