The Askers Wait for an Answer: DED 1/10 and 2/10s Continued

And on the 11th page, we received a response.  Not the response that we want to receive, but thanks must be given where they are due.  CCP Golliath could have said, “Not me!” and  ignored us.  It wasn't an answer but it was a response.  After a eighteen days of waiting, any blue bannered CCP response was like a drink of cool water on a hot day.

Thank you.  Not ignored.  We can work from here.

I babbled about how we, as players, have a Love Hate relationship with Eve and CCP.  Situations like this, where the players want and expect a response from CCP over a major game change, causes passions to bubble to the surface.  The emotional mind and the rational mind enter a war to see who will own the communication channels.  Things get interesting after that point.

There is the question: “Do we deserve an answer?”

I will say: "Yes".  

I stated in the thread at one point that CCP has developed a culture of developer to player interaction.  This has created a standard of expectancy between the players and the developer when major game changes are made.  Hans went forth and asked at the CSM meeting but that does not mean the rest of us curl up and wait.  Hans is a representative but he is not, and cannot be, everyone.  Thankfully, there are multiple places where our words can also be placed.

In a game as complex as Eve, basic numerical changes that make complete and perfect sense on paper can and will break the game.  This is why so many players pour so much time into play testing.  It is not just bug reports and new toys. It is the players reinvesting in the game with their best currency, their game experience.

It is how we pay CCP (beyond IRL iskies).  It is one reason that Eve continues to move forward.  That connection between the two sides creates a constant ebb and flow and tug of war situation.  It stops CCP from rampaging on personal projects that are disconnected from the actual game (vs their personal version) and it stops the players from just walking away from their time investment (due to a deeper investment in the structure).

It’s also about activism.  As someone that absolutely hates being an activist, I do love this game and low sec enough that I’m willing to put myself out there as I can.  Sometimes that means the forums, and post after post after post on a topic.  It may mean my blog.  Sometimes that means rampaging around twitter and occasionally trying to grab people in game for chats.  I admit that I do criticize people about slacktivism.  My coworkers are notorious for it on Facebook.  My base personality, therefore forces me into the role of activism when it is a cause I wish to pursue.

It follows the same principles laid forth to the members of high sec when the CSM elections come up.  You have to vote for who you want instead of complaining about who you got when you did nothing to forward it.  It is the same thing that caused the massive flare up and out pouring of words about the mulled upon gategun changes that enraged the player base.  Maybe nothing would have happened or maybe everyone would have taken our detached silence as a 'go forth and do, they are not upset it must be fine'.

And its hard.  It's so easy to curl up or just ignore things and let them happen.  It's incredibly easy.  ‘Oh well’ and to walk away.  But what will that get us in the end?  I’m not a bittervet.  I want Eve for years.  I want to have the option to become one one day but that won’t happen if Eve goes away.  For Eve to prosper it is more than sub money (I pay enough of that).  It's also these exchanges of information and this level of communication.  Its what gives us low sec to even argue over.  Otherwise someone wins with tiered high to null, or low being nulls stage, or no low at all, or something else that isn't what it is now.

And then there is being polite.  Being upset over a topic does not equal being nasty about said topic.

A polarizing discussion has a lot of power.  The right words and combinations will spark and intense debate.  When people are mature adults, they can often (but not always) back down from this, take some deep breaths and remember  that it is a game and they may be mad but the words said may have value.

But consumption of information without the burn of low grade irritation over insults also has its place.  I feel silly, and hopefully I do not sound condescending  when I say that I am proud of the general tone and response of the members of Low Sec that have pushed at this cause on the thread.  There has been a lot of good information, politely worded pokings and a general avoidance for the most part of the ultimatum and demands that turn a request into something that is ignored on principle.

It's nice to see Low Sec get out and support itself.  No one else is going to support us for us and it is not as if we are people who expect others to take care of us.  I tire of seeing everyone attempting to make decisions for us based off of what they want and not what is low sec itself.  Seeing so many people participate was wonderful.  It encourages me that perhaps, we can form enough coherency, even if it is just snapping whips and prodding corpmembers in our chats to do something focused this next CSM election and into the future when things corp up and words are needed.

There is a lot to be learned from Wormholes and Nullsec in their organization when it comes to the things that they want.  Organization does not have to mean 'my corp' and 'my person'.  Sometimes, we need to stop bickering and stop chest thumping and lay down a bit of focused attention on issues that are greater than ourselves.  Our preservation and definition of low sec as the PvP focused wonderland with its odd rules and weird mechanics that are both awkward and irritating but wonderful and accepted at the same time is important.  Its like when the community gets together and cleans up the trash that random people dump out of their car windows because they believe that nature and their trashcan are the same things.  You have to work to preserve where you live, even when it is not you who damaged the environment.

I hate standing on soap boxes but, this one is not very worn yet so it needs a bit of use.

CCP hasn't yet answered our question.  We have not yet engaged anyone in active discussions.  I'm going to sit there and poke the thread.  Bump, bump, bump each day.  I had told myself that I would do it, even if I did it all by myself. I am so, very, very happy that I do it with so many others along side.

Also, Thank you Kane, for your poking.