So, plenty of information to share since I last posted here (YEARS ago! Where does time go!?)
I recently moved in with my Partner, and he and I spend quite a lot of time together. While we do enjoy the company of one another, I'm starting to remember how much fun I had playing EVE.
I've decided to get back into the game. I rejoined NETU, had Kale al'Corsten, my holder alt, accept my application and promptly step down as CEO and turn the reigns back over to Ranis.
I know going into this that I will not be growing NETU back to the size it was just prior to the collapse in 2012. I just want a group of pilots that can get together, help contribute to meaningful goals (Providence, you're looking nice this time of year...), and blow some much needed steam from the perils of the real life situation (work, finishing up my degree, etc. My partner Donnie is wonderful... I just hope he understands the desire to get back into EVE).
I guess a necessary first step is getting back in touch with some of the old NETU crew. Its likely that we can bring some of them back for some much anticipated pew!
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Blog Banter 29 - Hooked
"EVE Online is renowned for it's depth. Its backstory, gameplay and social aspects are all qualities that draw players in. What does immersion in EVE Online mean to you?"
When I saw this question posed, the first thing that came to mind is "When playing Eve Online, when are you not considered 'immersed?
The charismatic leaders of large power bloc alliances are no more and no less than that. You look at another pilot in game and pose that they aren't who they say they are. Interactions with others is often a result of who we are and what we do in Eve. Here are my two examples:
1. The construction worker in Real Life who happens to play Eve doesn't receive social status or power in the game because of what he does for work. His status in the game depends on who he is in Eve Online. Though that job may not be on par with what the average man does in real life, his role in Eve may be far different (Corporate CEO, for example). This encompassing of one's self in a virtual world has the power to unlock qualities and traits in ourselves that we never knew we had in the Real World.
The super celeb's in Eve, those that run the lotteries, the exchanges, the third-party platforms (the veritable 'Oil Barons' of New Eden) may collect massive amounts of isk and command respect across many regions. Though most of these people are self-proclaimed unemployed children living in their parents basement, such information about their outside lives carries no weight in the in-game world. Unemployed and child-like all they want, it doesn't change the fact they've achieved their status and power in the game, and any affairs that must go through them (lotteries, high-dollar item-exchange) are unaffected by RL
To put the two pieces together and draw the conclusion, immersion denotes that one immerses one's life in a virtual world. In that case, I feel that immersion is not the right word at all. The light-hearted term I would pick would be "happy distraction."
When I log in to Eve, though often riddled with the challenges that a Corp and Alliance CEO faces daily, I am not dealing with my team at work, my family, school, drama on facebook and all. I log in an I'm Ranis, though not a roleplayer, I respond to that name. I behave as I would if I were a pilot in New Eden, either consciously or not. When I log in, I'm someone else - which makes Eve a happy distraction from all the bull.
The way I see it, at least I'm not playing World of Warcraft. =)
When I saw this question posed, the first thing that came to mind is "When playing Eve Online, when are you not considered 'immersed?
The charismatic leaders of large power bloc alliances are no more and no less than that. You look at another pilot in game and pose that they aren't who they say they are. Interactions with others is often a result of who we are and what we do in Eve. Here are my two examples:
1. The construction worker in Real Life who happens to play Eve doesn't receive social status or power in the game because of what he does for work. His status in the game depends on who he is in Eve Online. Though that job may not be on par with what the average man does in real life, his role in Eve may be far different (Corporate CEO, for example). This encompassing of one's self in a virtual world has the power to unlock qualities and traits in ourselves that we never knew we had in the Real World.
The super celeb's in Eve, those that run the lotteries, the exchanges, the third-party platforms (the veritable 'Oil Barons' of New Eden) may collect massive amounts of isk and command respect across many regions. Though most of these people are self-proclaimed unemployed children living in their parents basement, such information about their outside lives carries no weight in the in-game world. Unemployed and child-like all they want, it doesn't change the fact they've achieved their status and power in the game, and any affairs that must go through them (lotteries, high-dollar item-exchange) are unaffected by RL
To put the two pieces together and draw the conclusion, immersion denotes that one immerses one's life in a virtual world. In that case, I feel that immersion is not the right word at all. The light-hearted term I would pick would be "happy distraction."
When I log in to Eve, though often riddled with the challenges that a Corp and Alliance CEO faces daily, I am not dealing with my team at work, my family, school, drama on facebook and all. I log in an I'm Ranis, though not a roleplayer, I respond to that name. I behave as I would if I were a pilot in New Eden, either consciously or not. When I log in, I'm someone else - which makes Eve a happy distraction from all the bull.
The way I see it, at least I'm not playing World of Warcraft. =)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Blog Banter 28 - The Creators and the Created
In recent months, the relationship between CCP and it's customers
has been the subject of some controversy. The player-elected Council of
Stellar Management has played a key role in these events, but not for
the first time they are finding CCP difficult to deal with. What effect
will CCP's recent strategies have on the future of EVE Online and it's
player-base? What part can and should the CSM play in shaping that
future? How best can EVE Online's continued health and growth be
assured?
I think the question is not so much about how the creators of a video game are going to best interact with their consumer-base, I find that this question has bigger implications. The EVE player-base is critical to CCP's success. Without those who play the game, the company fails. From a player-standpoint, when a company stops providing the best product for its consumers, its time to find a new producer. Thus, it makes sense that CCP created the CSM.
When the CSM has difficulty dealing with those it is present to deal with, it creates a strange situation for CCP. Lets remember that the CSM is groundbreaking, an idea that (to my knowledge) has never been done before. No other video-game producing company has gone to such lengths to hear-out their players. The idea alone used to be enough to keep some people going with CCP. "They care about my opinions, which is why they have the CSM."
CCP needs to be clear - the CSM is, for better or for worse, the embodiment of the entire Eve Online Player Base. If CCP smites an idea of the CSM, or worse, a concern that the CSM brings up, then they are in turn smiting the entire Player Base.
I think that the CSM should be as key a portion of the CCP team as the Design team, artwork and story teams, etc. For something to break ground with CCP in a release, the CSM should have a hand in it. But as such, CCP need to broaden the CSM horizons further. If E-Online's continued health and growth are to be assured, then CCP must ensure that the CSM consists of people from ALL walks of Eve Life, not just Goons, Test, BDeal, and the ebil Russians. There needs to be input from smaller alliances, corps, and new players - what will cause Eve to grow is these smaller groups being able to grow with ease, rather than having tools in place to sustain the big-guys. Ideally, it should be harder to maintain super-alliances... but that is a different topic altogether.
If Eve is to continue to be a cutting-edge game that we all know, love, and hate... then CCP needs to ensure that the game is taking some directional advice from the most important people around in the universe - the players.
CCP, always be ignorant of your players wishes... unless you're literate. Never be literate. #sarcasm
I think the question is not so much about how the creators of a video game are going to best interact with their consumer-base, I find that this question has bigger implications. The EVE player-base is critical to CCP's success. Without those who play the game, the company fails. From a player-standpoint, when a company stops providing the best product for its consumers, its time to find a new producer. Thus, it makes sense that CCP created the CSM.
When the CSM has difficulty dealing with those it is present to deal with, it creates a strange situation for CCP. Lets remember that the CSM is groundbreaking, an idea that (to my knowledge) has never been done before. No other video-game producing company has gone to such lengths to hear-out their players. The idea alone used to be enough to keep some people going with CCP. "They care about my opinions, which is why they have the CSM."
CCP needs to be clear - the CSM is, for better or for worse, the embodiment of the entire Eve Online Player Base. If CCP smites an idea of the CSM, or worse, a concern that the CSM brings up, then they are in turn smiting the entire Player Base.
I think that the CSM should be as key a portion of the CCP team as the Design team, artwork and story teams, etc. For something to break ground with CCP in a release, the CSM should have a hand in it. But as such, CCP need to broaden the CSM horizons further. If E-Online's continued health and growth are to be assured, then CCP must ensure that the CSM consists of people from ALL walks of Eve Life, not just Goons, Test, BDeal, and the ebil Russians. There needs to be input from smaller alliances, corps, and new players - what will cause Eve to grow is these smaller groups being able to grow with ease, rather than having tools in place to sustain the big-guys. Ideally, it should be harder to maintain super-alliances... but that is a different topic altogether.
If Eve is to continue to be a cutting-edge game that we all know, love, and hate... then CCP needs to ensure that the game is taking some directional advice from the most important people around in the universe - the players.
CCP, always be ignorant of your players wishes... unless you're literate. Never be literate. #sarcasm
Friday, July 1, 2011
S.O.V.
You know its been crazy, both in real life and in 'Eve Life' when your alliance gets sovereignty and upgrades it to strategic level 3 before you can even post about it on your blog that has been tucked away somewhere on the internet.
For all the shit I've given CEO's in the past who have held sov, let me apologize now. It's a lot harder than it looks.
For all the shit I've given CEO's in the past who have held sov, let me apologize now. It's a lot harder than it looks.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Keys to Being a Successful CEO
Over the past few years, I've learned a lot about being a CEO. You need to have eyes in the back of your head, be diplomatic, this, that and the other.
I think what caught me off guard as being a CEO is the large amount of time you need to be focusing on recruiting. Even after you reach your desired member count, your recruiting does not stop there. It goes on for retention, morale, and rewards.
Basically, for any new CEO's out there, ensure that you have someone in your corporation that is assigned the recruiter roles, and that you are communicating with that person about your personnel requirements and expectations. "One out, One in" is a common rule to maintain personnel levels, another one for expansion is for every 1 player who leaves (for whatever reason: inactivity, RL, they want to pirate, ect) you bring on two new players to replace him. This way, turnover turns into growth. The problem is if these people are leaving due to morale, you will be recruiting 10 times harder than you need to.
The Three Keys to Retention:
Active Recruiting
Recruiting can be done in dozens of different ways, and doesn't have to be tedious. Pitching in as a team and doing recruitment drives really helps to balance the work load, and if you're focusing on quality over quantity, you will have a solid member base in no time.
Active Member Base
A member base that is online frequently and that does ops together, communicates using voice, and learns how the rest of the team works is more likely to be successful in helping to retain an individual than almost any thing else.
Efficient Problem Resolution
If problems arise in your team, and they will, the key is to resolving them swiftly. Most CEO's I know get blindsided by problems they didn't even know existed. By mandating that each member of your Leadership Team have an open door policy about issues, as well as providing an anonymous email address or feedback form, players will be able and comfortable coming to you with their concerns and will thus feel like they aren't a wallflower within your corporation.
---
Take this advise as a guideline. There are too many things to keep in mind when being a CEO. Best thing is that if you are diplomatic and you always approach new situations with an open mind, then you should do fine. When you hit speed bumps, they hurt. You just gotta get back up and keep on truckin'. And when the going get tough, the tough grab Corona's and head to Providence.
I think what caught me off guard as being a CEO is the large amount of time you need to be focusing on recruiting. Even after you reach your desired member count, your recruiting does not stop there. It goes on for retention, morale, and rewards.
Basically, for any new CEO's out there, ensure that you have someone in your corporation that is assigned the recruiter roles, and that you are communicating with that person about your personnel requirements and expectations. "One out, One in" is a common rule to maintain personnel levels, another one for expansion is for every 1 player who leaves (for whatever reason: inactivity, RL, they want to pirate, ect) you bring on two new players to replace him. This way, turnover turns into growth. The problem is if these people are leaving due to morale, you will be recruiting 10 times harder than you need to.
The Three Keys to Retention:
Active Recruiting
Recruiting can be done in dozens of different ways, and doesn't have to be tedious. Pitching in as a team and doing recruitment drives really helps to balance the work load, and if you're focusing on quality over quantity, you will have a solid member base in no time.
Active Member Base
A member base that is online frequently and that does ops together, communicates using voice, and learns how the rest of the team works is more likely to be successful in helping to retain an individual than almost any thing else.
Efficient Problem Resolution
If problems arise in your team, and they will, the key is to resolving them swiftly. Most CEO's I know get blindsided by problems they didn't even know existed. By mandating that each member of your Leadership Team have an open door policy about issues, as well as providing an anonymous email address or feedback form, players will be able and comfortable coming to you with their concerns and will thus feel like they aren't a wallflower within your corporation.
---
Take this advise as a guideline. There are too many things to keep in mind when being a CEO. Best thing is that if you are diplomatic and you always approach new situations with an open mind, then you should do fine. When you hit speed bumps, they hurt. You just gotta get back up and keep on truckin'. And when the going get tough, the tough grab Corona's and head to Providence.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Overview
Who else remembers the blog-post by Kirith Kodachi about the new Overview?
Basically, its about how different ships should get different icons in the overview. I know it made it to the Test Server. How long is it going to take CCP to release this to the live server?
In addition to this, I remember them talking about a Beta Tested NeoCom. I run a mac, and their is no option to activate a new neocom.
CCP - Please spend more time bringing the Mac Client up to par with the PC client. The software and hardware are superior on a Mac, why cant the client be superior? Or screw superior. How bout 'on par!'
<3 BFF4EVER!
Basically, its about how different ships should get different icons in the overview. I know it made it to the Test Server. How long is it going to take CCP to release this to the live server?
In addition to this, I remember them talking about a Beta Tested NeoCom. I run a mac, and their is no option to activate a new neocom.
CCP - Please spend more time bringing the Mac Client up to par with the PC client. The software and hardware are superior on a Mac, why cant the client be superior? Or screw superior. How bout 'on par!'
<3 BFF4EVER!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Amarrian Proverb #158
If you, upon meeting another man, speak with force in your words, you will knock him off his feet. Losing balance, he will want to push back with force in his tone and verbiage as well.
If you, upon meeting a man, stand side by side with him, you will see his point of view, and he will yours. You both will be able to walk together to a destination, than stand in one spot pushing each other back and forth.
If you, upon meeting a man, stand side by side with him, you will see his point of view, and he will yours. You both will be able to walk together to a destination, than stand in one spot pushing each other back and forth.
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