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Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online bridges worlds for a society

Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online bridges worlds for a society. ... or players impacting their own world. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, CCP Petur “Xhagen” Oskarsson, CCP. Company Founded in 1997 Privately held Culture Technology excellence Innovative game design Customer respect

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Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online bridges worlds for a society

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  1. Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online bridges worlds for a society ... or players impacting their own world Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, CCP Petur “Xhagen” Oskarsson, CCP

  2. Company Founded in 1997 Privately held Culture Technology excellence Innovative game design Customer respect Vision and teamwork Prosperity Grown from relative obscurity to moderate success CCP

  3. Virtual Worlds • Virtual realities • Trying to mimic the real? • Not so! • Alternate worlds/Alternate experience • Communicate with other humans under different sets of rules and regulations • But the same principles apply • Role playing, Social worlds, Sandboxes, Coffee shops….

  4. It is not only a computer game…. • … as we generally understand computer games • It is a place where people • come together…. • enjoy the same experience… • have fun together….. • share goals… • The game provides a foundation to a community

  5. TimelineSocial institutions 30,000 50,000 100,000 250,000+ 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Corporations E-On Markets (Player) Alliances EVE TV CSM II Markets (NPC) EVE Radio CSM I Economics

  6. Governance of large communities • Complex social structures and communication • Needed representatives from the community • But not selected by CCP • Electing official in a democratic manner in order to communicate with CCP on what issues must be addressed and how to evolve EVE • Roots in the history of democracy in Iceland

  7. Design and preparations • White paper created (Design document) • Deliberation regarding the concept • EVE Fanfest • EVE Forums • Several academic scholars • Within CCP

  8. Council of Stellar Management (CSM) • A council of nine representatives • Candidates step up and run under their real world names • Elected directly by players in a democratic election

  9. CSM – Function • The council deliberates and votes on issues • Issues presented to CCP only after deliberation • Players can force the council to handle a topic • Each term is for 6 months, with 2 terms as the limit • The council is flown to Iceland to meet with CCP representatives • The council must prepare the issues beforehand • CCP must formally explain their stance

  10. CSM – First elections • 64 accepted applicants campaigned • Voting was open from May 5th through May 19th , 2008 • Candidates campaign out-of-game • Forums • Own websites, including text, pictures and videos • Political campaign • Some represent themselves as part of a political group • Alliance politics are minimal, more play style politics

  11. CSM – Second elections • 42 accepted applicants campaigned • Voting was open from November 7th through November 21st, 2008 • Candidates campaign in game and out-of-game • Political campaign • Increase in powerblock voting where candidates have the declared support of Alliances • Continued lack of ingame politics, play style is dominant

  12. Second elections, cont. • Three members of the first CSM ran again and all were elected for their second term • Voter turnout went from 11.08% to 8.61% • Voter’s apathy • Changes in subscribers’ makeup • Work has begun with the CSM to address this

  13. CSM – campaigners Omber Zombie Darius JOHNSON

  14. CSM – campaigners • A campaign video • http://evajobse.net/TakeCare/movieclassic.php

  15. CSM - Impact • A modest prediction of mainly game balance topics • Logical to assume that the most discussed topics being high on the list • No attempt from CCP at sensoring or directing the topics raised by the CSM • A completely independent player input

  16. CSM – Implemented features • Requests from CSM • Switch ammo in all guns at once • Medium sized cargo hauling ships • Increase repercussions for ‘unlawful’ PvP • Implementation by CCP • Weapon grouping; allows for multiple guns to be interacted with at once • Specialized logistics ship for miners; medium sized cargo amongst its capabilities • ELO style standing penalty; sensitive to players’ standing and location of criminal action

  17. CSM – Still in discussion • Requests from CSM • Make Corporation warfare more meaningful, less ‘pay-for-gank’ • Change the nature of players ownership of Solar systems and Space stations • Create a foundation for an effective Bounty hunting carrier • These aspects of the game involve the core of EVE’s PvP system • Several approches have been discarded already in conjunction with the CSM • Ongoing discussion between CSM and CCP with the aim of meeting these requests and improve game play

  18. CSM – Features rejected • Requests from CSM • Rentable Corporation owned services; allow non Corporation members access to repair structures, research structures, etc. • The ability to destroy Space stations • Market functions based on criteria set by players; i.e. standings between players, ability to buy from certain players, etc. • While everything is possible these features were rejected solely due to technical difficulties. • All access functions are tied to Corporations; player assets (to name one) in stations; greatly reduced efficiency of a very busy market.

  19. CSM – Quick overview • 128 topics brought up for CCP • 47 topics are in the development pipeline with different priority ratings • 50 topics have been injected and/or assigned a higher priority in the backlog • 20 topics are considered implemented, 9 topics denied and 2 topics are waiting for further CSM input

  20. Communication

  21. Communication

  22. Communication

  23. From the players perspective “We had a great dialogue with the developers and they were exceedingly open to our ideas and suggestions and pretty straightforward in explaining technical limitations where not. It was clear that some changes we suggested were already on CCP’s agenda, but it was also nice to see the occasional ‘Eureka’, - ‘why didn’t we think of that?’ moment amongst the developers. This clearly demonstrated the value of the process both to us as players but also to CCP,” said Andrew Cruse, Chairman of the [first] CSM. http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/06/26/eve-player-council-pleased-with-first-ccp-summit/

  24. From the Dev/Publisher perspective • Interacting at a different level • Direct and unmodified feedback • In – depth discussion • Based on trust

  25. Trust • Must enable trust • Takes time • In person meetings a must • NDA´s and other confidentially agreements

  26. Practice – lessons learned • Manage player expectations • Manage CSM expectations • Be constantly mindful of voter apathy and general disinterest inregards to political functions • Allow the ‘simple’ and ‘narrow’ topics to be brought up and solved – The ‘larger’ and ‘broader’ topics will follow

  27. CSM - results • True representation of the playerbase • Uncensored communications between players and CCP • Two way communications between players and CCP • Better EVE for everyone

  28. CSM in the future • Integrated part of EVE • A powerful tool for both players and CCP • A venue for players to inspire CCP and for CCP to inspire players

  29. www.eve-online.com

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