Max Torps's blog

Today we have altered the site and decided to refocus the featureset.

We have instead decided to focus on the commslink feature of the site, blogs, guides, feeds and the IRC chat.

The commslink feature will only grow if people start using it and posting their own commslinks... so please help out with that and let's see if we can get this rolling.

Instructions are here:  read the rest of this post»

+++PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS DATED 2008 AND THE CAMPAIGN BELOW REFERS TO THE SECOND CSM TERM+++

As many of you realise it's that time again when new candidates are asked to put themselves forward for the general populace of Eve to vote them in as player representatives.

I have a great deal of admiration toward CCP for being so brave in continuing this and making the opportunity available, but do feel the election process is flawed at the core.

When I stood last time, I knew I'd be up against the forum personalities, players with a great deal more history than myself, indeed worthy opponents.

However I still feel that the whole campaign and election process really needs to reach every player in Eve, as just channeling communication via the forums is not adequate to muster more than 10% of the votes.

At the beginning of the original campaign, I asked for the link to the CSM forums to be placed at the login screen: http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=764548&page...

This time, would you like to see more being done in game? I would.

1: In game Eve Mail to every citizen announcing the campaigns and an IGB compatible link to a summary site hosted by CCP.

2: Have the actual elections IN GAME. Rather than get people to use the account sections or website, make it so that the actual voting process doesn't take you away from the game.

I'm pretty certain an in game browser compatible site could be hosted by CCP to do this, if not then a widget on the NeoCom could be used perhaps?

3: CCP to action many of the points raised by the inaugural CSM regarding forum facilities and council facilities.  read the rest of this post»

It's frustrating isn't it?

You have a bunch of mates that you know and trust. You have played many games together and thoroughly enjoyed the honeymoon period of each one. You've known each other years and get on well.

Let's take a real example and choose LoTRO.  read the rest of this post»

Some of you may be aware of my membership of eXceed this last year however I've left again... Now then the reason for this is nothing to do with the recent Triumvirate team up that was "leaked" by a formal eXceed announcement onto CAOD. (Gratz guy, must feel good to have posted that, eh? 0.o)  read the rest of this post»

Greetings,

It's been a while hasn't it? Well aside from the lovely Jade registering here nothing much has happened.

I've noted with interest the last minutes from the CSM and an interesting point of view from LaVistaVista on ship adjustments - he's got the right idea I think.  read the rest of this post»

+++PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS DATED 2008 AND THE CAMPAIGN BELOW REFERS TO THE FIRST CSM TERM+++

I think a quote from Enid Blyton, the well known childrens author is appropriate for this piece given the way that the CSM is turning.

I've personally never met Jade Constantine but the fact that he has been banned from forums before and with his general conduct striking me as being of a bullying nature just winds me up no end.

When I ran for CSM I was obviously very disappointed I didn't get in, however in reality I didn't expect much else given that:

A: I'm an unknown person in comparison to the winning well known forum personalities and leaders of alliances.

B: I wasn't aware of some of the circles that other candidates (Hardin and Jade) mixed in. It is no surprise to me that they both received the highest votes and it wouldn't be much of a stretch of the imagination to figure many of the votes came from similar sources...the RP forums external to Eve Online. Of course, I can now campaign there if I run again at some point.

I was extremely pleased with the 297 votes I did get though, for an unknown to achieve that was something I was quite proud of, thank you.

Anyway, I digress. It really doesn't matter where the votes for Jade came from. It's what those voters are now thinking that matters.

Did you get value from your vote?

We seem to have a power grabbing, manipulative egomaniac now at the head of the CSM on record as throwing his weight around inappropriately.

Honestly...did noone see this coming? Are you happy with it? Honestly?

Not for the first time I have found myself agreeing with Darius Johnson.

I'm also shocked to see LaVista Vista prize himself from Jade's rear end to publicly criticise him for once, so things must be bad...  read the rest of this post»

+++PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS DATED 2008 AND THE CAMPAIGN BELOW REFERS TO THE FIRST CSM TERM+++

A huge bellowing "gratz" to the lucky 9 and the 5 stand bys. Alas, I did not make it in on this occasion. Thank you all who voted for me. I hope the next CSM election has a bigger voting turnout than the inaugural one.

This has serious ramifications given that some power blocs had candidates representing them and were able to motivate members to use their vote for them far more easily than the independent candidates.

Many candidates rode on the inertia of previous forum whoring and frankly it seems to have worked.

The argument could be given that if candidates were any worth, then votes would still be drawn from the populace however it is my opinion that the turnout was incredibly low, leading to "unknowns" having a considerably harder time gaining votes as they also have to make voters interested in the elections in the first place.

Many power bloc candidates arrived late or campaigned fairly poorly, some displaying a darker side by bigging themselves up on the forums (and being caught), cliques forming and bumping each others posts giving supporting arguments and so on. All to be expected and it seems to be a winning formula after all. A cold, harsh universe indeed.

In my mind, the second CSM term is not worth even bothering with given the current state of voter apathy. Existing members will probably get re-elected through inertia.

The third CSM term seems more interesting to me given that candidates cannot stand more than two sessions.

Yes, this entire blog could be construed as sour grapes however it is also evidenced by the forum posts.  read the rest of this post»

+++PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS DATED 2008 AND THE CAMPAIGN BELOW REFERS TO THE FIRST CSM TERM+++

Hello everyone.

As the voting period is coming to an end, I'd like to take this opportunity to say a few words.

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who has voted for me for doing so and I will remain true to my ethos as outlined in my posts and blog. I hope that I have the opportunity to serve you. If I do, I will serve you well.

Secondly, I would like to thank CCP for giving the entire player base the opportunity to stand and vote for candidates in the Council of Stellar Management. With Eve being a single persistent universe and characters having reputations to fulfill, this is a brave move and one that I hope succeeds and matures beyond the inevitable initial growing pains.

Thirdly, I would like to thank the majority of the other candidates for making this an interesting first campaign.

Thank you all.

Vote for me here
Candidate thread here

+++PLEASE NOTE THIS PAGE IS DATED 2008 AND THE CAMPAIGN BELOW REFERS TO THE FIRST CSM TERM+++

Not really. But FFS. It just annoys me that votes are gained for candidates that offer this sort of enticement.

Is it me or do NONE of the candidates actually KNOW how the CSM will work?
(other than me )

"ooh I'll give you +5 uber pants on your ship if you vote for me!"

No, you won't!

You still have to run it by the players, for 7 days! The ENTIRE playerbase! Not just the ones that voted you in.

So even if these MAGNIFICENT, GRAND schemes without clear indication of consequence get you in, you are STILL at the mercy of the playerbase who will, after 7 days I can assure you, find out every detail of consequence and vote it out if crap.

This is how it goes.

The Roles within the CSM are awarded thus:

In answer to this post:
http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=761081

As you all know, a huge number of criteria affect low sec and 0.0. Let's list just some of them.

1: Security rating.
2: Aggro permissions and gang aggro permissions - piracy and anti-piracy.
3: Ore value and distribution.
4: Sovereignty and POS warfare.  read the rest of this post»