As you will now be aware, the next phase of mineral redistribution is upon us.
The reddit thread contains the immediate public outcry as well as confirmation of the CSM members that we are not happy with the changes.
I would like to take a moment first to heap huge praise upon every single team and project that has allowed the CSM to help early enough in development so that the product can be at its best – this includes but is not limited to the Proving Grounds, the ongoing ESS rework project, the Quantum Cores and some other upcoming projects.
There’s more to our frustration on the CSM than just the change itself. For obvious NDA reasons, a lot of this will be paraphrased or vague – but do feel free to ask other CSM members about the accuracy of the feelings I’m trying to convey.
Multiple CSMs from different areas of space have their own issues, and my issues are surrounding the effect on and attitude to lowsec.
To start with, the way the CSM were treated regarding this change.
The team heading up this update decided upon and created this redistribution without sharing any details of the timeline, the numbers, the geography or even the knowledge that they were working on it at all with the CSM. We were notified less than one week before the announcement, and were immediately told it WAS going ahead in it’s current form, and that we would not be changing any of it for the initial release. Telling us at all ahead of time feels pointless, and shows no value placed upon us.
This is painful to hear because while CCP are the experts on data, the CSM are a set of experts on actual gameplay. To rely on one and discard the other is a very suboptimal way to please the playerbase and design any game, expecially one with such a vibrant economy and social structure.
I struggled to find a good reason for having a meeting with us about this, because why bother telling us at all if you have comitted to absolutely not act upon any feedback?
Next, let’s look at the problems with the actual changes – from a lowsec POV.
For several months now, myself and some other CSM members have been attempting to convey the things that need changing in lowsec space. We have been arranging meetings with various developers to show them our work, which includes detailed descriptions of problems, examples from the past of what worked well before removal, and even solutions for future game design to bring back the aspects we miss.
While a number of CCP staff have expressed interest in what we have to say, we have recieved absolutely zero indication of the feelings of the people who actually set the schedules for and steer development, which makes this all the more offensive to the players of Eve. We have been offering up a full package of problems and solutions that match what the community has asked for, and CCP has thrown mass active player mining to lowsec with the implication that this is a gift to the area.
Mass mining in lowsec is not possible. Lowsec is NOT sov null.
This displays entirely the wrong attitude, and shows zero awareness of what lowsec is to it’s residents.
Do change lowsec to fit the mining of nullsec. If we wanted to mine, we would go to nullsec and carve out some space of our own to do it in, with the greater control and infrastructure it brings.
It was indicated to us that CCP is unwilling to to share much information on what prompts this change – a concerning extra is that they do NOT know what a good outcome for lowsec looks like after this change.
I asked if larger lowsec blocs forming to protect and facilitate mass mining would be considered a success – it was not ruled out. I find the idea of wanting lowsec to transform into a poor man’s nullsec a hugely offensive one.
This is not the first time in the last few months this type of thing has happened. Repeatedly, advice has been given, ignored and then the CSM’s predictions have come to pass, projects have been revealed far too deep in development for the CSM to make much of a difference – or even in some cases, the CSM has not been consulted at all on matters we could easily have improved.
Now, I do understand that the CSM is NOT guaranteed any influence on development, and that we are more of a consulting group – however – we definitely do not feel that our advice or the player demands we present are noted with nearly enough seriousness. What we want to happen is for CCP to place FAR more importance on what the PLAYERS want developed or fixed – not ideas borne from internal meetings populated by people who have hardly or even never played the game.
While there are definitely absolutely fantastic people working at CCP, busy on QoL, ship balance and community projects, the bulk of the development of major features appears to lack any coherant connection to the features the players desperately want to see
What we need more than anything is for those at the helm of Eve’s development to actually come to us ahead of foundations being laid. CCP deciding by themselves how to steer Eve has been sub-optimal at best, and on alarming occasions, disatrous. Come to us long before work begins so that it’s not CONSTANTLY too late to affect useful change.
If anyone at CCP would like to challenge my utter disappointment, this is the second time I publically urge you to TAKE ACTION at the higher levels to start developing the game that the players want to play. We have the knowledge and you have the data – it’s time to start using both. We are ready.