Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Your vote counts -- EVE's sixth CSM]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/eve-evolved-your-vote-counts-eves-sixth-csm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/eve-evolved-your-vote-counts-eves-sixth-csm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/13/eve-evolved-your-vote-counts-eves-sixth-csm/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Of all the groups involved in EVE Online, the democratically elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM) may be the most significant influence in the game's development. The council was originally created as a way to reassure players that the developer corruption exposed in the T20 scandal would not be repeated. Players voted for a list of representatives from the community, who were then flown over to Iceland to review CCP's newly created internal affairs department. Since then, the CSM has taken on a more advisory role to CCP, presenting itself as a conduit through which players can focus their ideas and any issues they're having with EVE.

With the fifth CSM term now coming to a close, voting has begun to choose the members of the sixth council. Players with active EVE accounts over 30 days old have until March 22nd to log in and register their votes. If last year's record 39,433 voter turnout is anything to go by, this year your votes will matter even more than ever. Competition is high for a spot on the council, and it's up to the players to determine who will best represent them in meetings with CCP. If you're having trouble deciding whom to vote for, stay tuned to Massively's EVE Online coverage this week for a breakdown of all the candidates in the running.

This week's EVE Evolved is dedicated to convincing you that your vote counts. In this article, I address a few common reasons people are put off voting, explain why the CSM is a force for change in EVE, and hear a few words from ex-CSM Stephan Pirson.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Your vote counts -- EVE's sixth CSM

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Your vote counts -- EVE's sixth CSM originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionelectionseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedgame-designopinionstephan-pirsonvotevotingSun, 13 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA fan video uncovers political system info]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/tera-fan-video-uncovers-political-system-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/tera-fan-video-uncovers-political-system-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/tera-fan-video-uncovers-political-system-info/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


TERA's political system has been shrouded in mystery for some time now, despite allusions to it in various producer and community manager interviews that En Masse Entertainment has given out over the past few months. Thanks to a video interview captured at Gamescom by a member of the Glimpse Dog fan website, we now have a bit more of an idea as to how the feature will play out.

The video is part four of a five-part series, and features live TERA gameplay interspersed with commentary by the reporter and an unnamed TERA employee who drops several nuggets of information about the political system. Among them are the fact that the system currently features lordships and kingships. TERA's world is divided into regions that will be able to elect a lord via citizen vote and also via an unspecified PvP mechanic. Details on citizenship and voting privileges were sketchy, and it seems the system is still under heavy development.

Once a lordship is obtained, players may then apply for kingship, which also features an election mechanic and grants sovereignty over a particular city. Kings also control taxes and have an unspecified level of control over how monsters spawn in their part of the world. Check out the video after the cut or the full series at Glimpse Dog.

Continue reading TERA fan video uncovers political system info

MassivelyTERA fan video uncovers political system info originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlueHolebluehole-studioelectionsen-masseen-masse-entertainmentglimpse-dogkingshiplordshippolitical-systempvpteratera-onlineMon, 23 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Endgame arrives for A Tale in the Desert 4]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/endgame-arrives-for-a-tale-in-the-desert-4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/endgame-arrives-for-a-tale-in-the-desert-4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/endgame-arrives-for-a-tale-in-the-desert-4/#commentsFiled under: ,

A Tale in the Desert 4 is coming to an end, and as players begin to look toward Tale 5, eGenesis has an endgame surprise. The ATitD community will be voting on a Pharaoh and have a direct effect on how Tale 5 is presented.

Sami and Wahim are the candidates for Pharaoh, so to speak. Wahim is your status-quo option, so if you like the way things are in game that's the way to go. Sami, on the other hand, is all about change. If Sami becomes the Pharaoh in game, players will be able to invent seven new technologies. Technologies affect how things are crafted and built in the game, and since A Tale in the Desert is a crafting game, it's a chance for players to completely change the content of the game.

Keep an eye on the ATitD site for all the details and election results.

MassivelyEndgame arrives for A Tale in the Desert 4 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tale-in-the-desertatitdcraftingegenesiselectionsendgamepharaohtale-4tale-5Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's 4th CSM election results are in]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/eves-4th-csm-election-results-are-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/eves-4th-csm-election-results-are-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/eves-4th-csm-election-results-are-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Election results for EVE Online's 4th Council of Stellar Management (CSM) are in. The CSM are players elected by the game's subscribers, given the responsibility of representing the collective interests of the playerbase to EVE Online's developer CCP Games. The hope is that future game changes and features will be in keeping with how the subscribers like to play EVE.

The announcement from EVE developer CCP Xhagen earlier today lists the election results by real name, character name, location and number of votes:

Continue reading EVE's 4th CSM election results are in

MassivelyEVE's 4th CSM election results are in originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alekseyev-karrdeccpccp-gamesccp-xhagencouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmculturedemocracyelectionelectionselvenlordeveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsmissions-collidemmo-industrymrs-trzzbkpoliticssong-liteadazevotingWed, 02 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's CSM elections begin, site matches your views with those of candidates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/eves-csm-elections-begin-site-matches-your-views-with-those-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/eves-csm-elections-begin-site-matches-your-views-with-those-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/eves-csm-elections-begin-site-matches-your-views-with-those-of/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Massively recently pointed out that the candidates have been announced for EVE Online's fourth Council of Stellar Management (CSM) -- the player-elected body that represents subscriber interests as the game is developed. (Also, if you missed it the first time around, you can listen to the recordings of CSM debates hosted by the Planet Risk radio show.)

There are a number of candidates in the running this election: 49 at last count. These prospective CSM delegates have put forth some wildly differing views on how EVE Online should evolve and there's a fair amount of info to sift through on the forums and the individual sites that candidates maintain. Not that this is really a substitute for actually, y'know, reading up on who you're voting for, but there's now a site that can help you zero in on the candidates who share your views on the game. Vote Match will match your views on issues as a player with the election platforms the various CSM candidates are running on. The site was coded by the current CSM Chairman Dierdra Vaal and is definitely worth a look for EVE Online players trying to decide on which candidate to back.

Continue reading EVE's CSM elections begin, site matches your views with those of candidates

MassivelyEVE's CSM elections begin, site matches your views with those of candidates originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmculturedierdra-vaalelectionseveeve-onlineplanet-riskpoliticssci-fivotingSat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's candidates for 4th Council of Stellar Management announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/eve-onlines-candidates-for-4th-council-of-stellar-management-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/eve-onlines-candidates-for-4th-council-of-stellar-management-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/eve-onlines-candidates-for-4th-council-of-stellar-management-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The roster of candidates for the 4th Council of Stellar Management (CSM) in EVE Online has been announced. According to CCP Games developer Pétur Jóhannes Óskarsson (aka CCP Xhagen), 60 members of the playerbase submitted applications, with 49 players accepted after CCP's screening process. (Players must hold valid passports to attend the CSM summit in Reykjavik, and those with EULA violations are ineligible to run.) From this pool of 49, there will ultimately be nine elected delegates and five alternates who can step in when needed.

Although Xhagen didn't break down candidate stats by nationality, there is a substantial number of U.S. players running for the 4th CSM as in past elections. This time around there are candidates from Latvia, Serbia, and Barbados as well. The ages of candidates range from 21 to 54, and only one female candidate is in the running this term which Xhagen notes is a decrease from the previous election. (He also indicates that only 3.9% of EVE's subscribers are female.)

Continue reading EVE Online's candidates for 4th Council of Stellar Management announced

MassivelyEVE Online's candidates for 4th Council of Stellar Management announced originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>candidatesccpccp-gamesccp-xhagencommunitycouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsgovernancejita-park-speakers-cornerlife-in-low-secmynxeepetur-johannes-oskarssonreykjaviksci-fiSat, 31 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's 4th Council of Stellar Management accepting candidates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/eves-4th-council-of-stellar-management-accepting-candidates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/eves-4th-council-of-stellar-management-accepting-candidates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/eves-4th-council-of-stellar-management-accepting-candidates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Council of Stellar Management (CSM) is a concept that's unique to EVE Online -- a player-elected council that represents the playerbase's views to the developer CCP Games. CSM representatives identify the major issues that players have with EVE Online and work together with CCP to improve the game. According to EVE dev CCP Xhagen, "Roughly 60% of all issues brought up by the CSM have either been already added to the game or are on the horizon."

The Council of Stellar Management is now heading into its 4th iteration and will begin accepting candidates as of tomorrow, October 1st. Candidacy applications will be accepted through October 15th. Interested parties must hold a valid passport (each CSM term involves a summit in Reykjavik) and be willing to have their real names become a matter of public record, for the sake of accountability.

Continue reading EVE's 4th Council of Stellar Management accepting candidates

MassivelyEVE's 4th Council of Stellar Management accepting candidates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>candidatesccpccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseve-onlinegame-designgame-mechanicsgovernmentmmo-industrysci-fiWed, 30 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's 3rd CSM election results are in]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-results-are-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-results-are-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-results-are-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The Council of Stellar Management (CSM) in EVE Online is a body of players elected by the game's subscribers to represent their interests before CCP Games. We've seen no small amount of debate on the CSM in the comments here at Massively, which is actually indicative of the lengthy and contentious discussions on the CSM that take place on the official forums and unofficial forums alike, as well as on player blogs.

We'd already mentioned that the 3rd Council of Stellar Management elections were under way but now those election results are in. Two council members from the 2nd CSM were-elected -- Vuk Lau and Omber Zombie. Dierdra Vaal, who sat on the first CSM, has been elected as well. In fact Vaal garnered the most votes in this election (2967) and is thus the new Chairman of the Council of Stellar Management. 9.7% of EVE Online's playerbase voted in the 3rd Council of Stellar Management election.

Continue reading EVE Online's 3rd CSM election results are in

MassivelyEVE Online's 3rd CSM election results are in originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gamesccp-xhagencouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionelection-resultselectionseveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsmmo-industrypetur-johannes-oskarssonpoliticssci-fivotingFri, 29 May 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's 3rd CSM election polls close tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-polls-close-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-polls-close-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/eve-onlines-3rd-csm-election-polls-close-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


If you've been following Massively's EVE Online coverage over the past few months, you'll no doubt have noticed we've written about the game's Council of Stellar Management (CSM). The CSM is a body of players elected by their fellow players, who represent the interests of the game's subscribers and work with CCP Games to ensure that development and balancing are driving the game forward in ways the gamers like. Opinion remains divided on the CSM, of course, but we think it's an interesting concept; developers letting the players have a say in a game's development pipeline is something that's very rare in the MMO industry.

We'd just like to post a reminder to our readers that the 3rd CSM election polls close tomorrow, May 26th. If you've been considering voting, check out what the candidates have to say about themselves and about EVE in the Jita Park Speakers Corner, a section of the EVE Online forums where each candidate explains their respective election platforms. There's still time left, so be sure to make your vote count.

MassivelyEVE Online's 3rd CSM election polls close tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsmmo-industrypoliticssci-fivotingMon, 25 May 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's 3rd Council of Stellar Management elections underway]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/eves-3rd-council-of-stellar-management-elections-underway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/eves-3rd-council-of-stellar-management-elections-underway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/21/eves-3rd-council-of-stellar-management-elections-underway/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Council of Stellar Management (CSM) in EVE Online is perhaps the best implementation of governance in the virtual space achieved thus far among the numerous MMOs and virtual worlds, although this concept in the industry is rare. The basic idea behind the CSM is that as the horizons of EVE Online and its subscriber numbers expand, there are many different playstyles to be found in the game. The CSM acts as the voice of the playerbase, advising CCP Games on how best to change or develop the game to suit player interests in a far more direct way than the requisite 'nerf this' or 'boost that' threads on the official forums. The Council of Stellar Management delegates aren't selected by CCP but are elected by the players themselves, which is the subject of the latest dev blog from CCP Xhagen (aka Pétur Jóhannes Óskarsson).

EVE Online's 3rd Council of Stellar Management elections are underway. CCP Xhagen's dev blog enumerates some of the CSM's main achievements to date, hopefully providing more incentive for players to vote. (Voter turnout has been lower than hoped, with only 8.6% of the playerbase getting involved, as of the 2nd election.) Massively has covered this idea of player governance in the past through interviews with CCP developers involved with this initiative, but Xhagen's dev blog and its links to EVElopedia provides greater detail into how the CSM operates.

The polls close on May 26th, so if you're an EVE Online player, remember to make your vote count.

MassivelyEVE's 3rd Council of Stellar Management elections underway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 May 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gamesccp-xhagencouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseveeve-onlineevelopediagovernancegovernmentpetur-johannes-oskarssonplayer-politicspoliticsrepresentativessci-fivotevotingThu, 21 May 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Council of Stellar Management's impact on the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/the-council-of-stellar-managements-impact-on-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/the-council-of-stellar-managements-impact-on-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/the-council-of-stellar-managements-impact-on-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Massively: Was giving the players this degree of input a frightening prospect for the developers and the designers?

Pétur: [Laughs] Yes. I've been hearing the other companies in the industry asking if we've completely lost our minds. Of course it's a difficult step, but we wouldn't have have a game without the players, so I think it's a logical step to take. Even though it's a frightening one.

Massively: Now that you've been doing this for a while, is it still as frightening now, seeing what the CSM is coming up with?

Pétur: No. They still surprise us sometimes but in a good way. It's becoming a very valuable tool for us to have. It's important.

Dr. EyjoG: Pétur and I work in the unit of Research and Statistics and what we are increasingly finding happening over the past two months is that the developers come to us and ask 'What do you think the CSM would think of this?' And now we can answer, 'Well, just ask them.'

Pétur: There are at least three cases off the top of my head where the CSM was asked by the developers themselves about a feature they were thinking about, what the players' take on this might be.

Continue reading The Council of Stellar Management's impact on the game

MassivelyThe Council of Stellar Management's impact on the game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>council-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssongame-mechanicsgdcgdc-2009interviewsmassively-interviewsmmo-industrypetur-johannes-oskarssonplayer-governancepoliticsreykjaviksci-fivotingThu, 30 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online developers speak about player-elected councils]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/eve-online-developers-speak-about-player-elected-councils/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/eve-online-developers-speak-about-player-elected-councils/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/28/eve-online-developers-speak-about-player-elected-councils/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The sci-fi game EVE Online is unique among the massively multiplayer online games on the market in that it has a form of player governance, which allows for a new channel of communication between the subscribers and developers -- a council of representatives of the playerbase. Players are not selected by CCP Games, the creators of EVE Online, they're actually elected by the game's subscribers themselves. Those elected form the Council of Stellar Management (CSM), delegates who represent the interests of the players and deal directly with CCP Games. It's a bold idea and certainly one that many MMO developers would shy away from, particularly in that the CSM has input into the game's development pipeline.

CCP Games felt what they're doing would be of interest to other people in the industry, and gave a presentation at GDC 2009. The session was titled "The Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online Bridges Worlds for a Society". Two speakers from CCP Games presented: Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson, EVE's lead economist, (also known as Dr. EyjoG) and Pétur Jóhannes Óskarsson, a researcher at CCP whose work has been integral to making the CSM a reality.

Continue reading EVE Online developers speak about player-elected councils

MassivelyEVE Online developers speak about player-elected councils originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdr-eyjogelectionseve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssongame-mechanicsgdc-2009governancemmo-industrynew-edenpetur-johannes-oskarssonphilosophypoliticssci-fiTue, 28 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Call for candidates in EVE Online's player-elected Council of Stellar Management]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/call-for-candidates-in-eve-onlines-player-elected-council-of-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/call-for-candidates-in-eve-onlines-player-elected-council-of-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/call-for-candidates-in-eve-onlines-player-elected-council-of-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Lost in the blitz of info about the Apocrypha expansion for EVE Online was the fact that CCP Games announced a call for candidates for the 3rd Council of Stellar Management (CSM). The CSM is a council of representatives of the playerbase, elected by the players themselves, who work with CCP Games to ensure that the development pipeline reflects the interests of the subscribers.

Being a CSM delegate can be both time-consuming and stressful, as past and present reps Jade Constantine and LaVista Vista have told us. Still, it offers players a chance at helping to shape the game they love, something which few other MMO developers would ever allow. Already on the CSM's radar for the next group of delegates is reworking (lawless) 0.0 space and its entrenched system of sovereignty, which is no small task.

Continue reading Call for candidates in EVE Online's player-elected Council of Stellar Management

MassivelyCall for candidates in EVE Online's player-elected Council of Stellar Management originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccp-gamesccp-xhagencouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmelectionseve-onlinegovernanceicelandjade-constantinelavista-vistammo-industryplayer-politicspoliticsreykjaviksci-fiMon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-community-spotlight-lavista-vista/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-community-spotlight-lavista-vista/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-community-spotlight-lavista-vista/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The idea of players being elected as representatives of the subscriber base is a dimension to EVE Online that sets it apart from all other MMOs. This player-elected Council of Stellar Management works with the sci-fi title's developer, CCP Games, to ensure that the game design and balancing of EVE Online reflects the interests of the subscribers. Player politics related to a divisive community of gamers can be complicated, however.

Since its inception, the Council of Stellar Management has faced intense criticism and no small amount of skepticism about how effective they will ultimately be. In other words -- EVE's Council of Stellar Management is a fairly accurate simulation of how the public reacts to real-world governance. Still, some of the original CSM delegates chose to stick it out and seek re-election for a second term. One of those delegates, now in his second term in office, is LaVista Vista. He's well-known to the EVE community for his level-headed approach to balancing the game and his experience with the different 'walks of life' of EVE's playstyles. These qualities make him an ideal representative of the interests of the players themselves and it came as little surprise that he was re-elected.

Massively recently caught up with LaVista Vista, who was happy to discuss some of his experiences as a dedicated EVE player as well as a Council of Stellar Management representative.

Continue reading EVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista

MassivelyEVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancesbankbanksccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcultureebankeconomyelectionseveeve-community-spotlighteve-onlinefeaturedfinancegame-mechanicsguildsinterviewsjoystiqfeatureslavista-vistalotka-volterramassively-interviewspiracysci-fivetoTue, 03 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's Council of Stellar Management to be discussed at GDC 09]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/eves-council-of-stellar-management-to-be-discussed-at-gdc-09/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/eves-council-of-stellar-management-to-be-discussed-at-gdc-09/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/eves-council-of-stellar-management-to-be-discussed-at-gdc-09/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


We mentioned that CCP Games plans to have a presence at the Game Developers Conference this year, but they've opted to give another presentation about EVE Online as well. CCP's Lead Economist Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson and Researcher Petur Johannes Oskarsson will speak about player governance in the virtual space, as exemplified by EVE Online's "Council of Stellar Management" (CSM).

For those who haven't heard of it, the Council of Stellar Management is something unique to EVE Online. It exists to convey the sentiments of the playerbase to EVE's developer, CCP Games. The idea is that it will ensure that CCP Games is developing and balancing the game in ways that fit the interests of the subscribers. It also allows for concerns between the players and developers to be addressed in a direct way by CCP Games.

CSM representatives are not selected by the developers, who largely maintain a hands-off stance on how the CSM is run. The players themselves organize their own election campaigns and the playerbase votes for who the best women and men are for the role. Each CSM term lasts for six months, during which time regular meetings take place, one of which happens in Reykjavik, in 3-days (or more) of face-to-face sessions with CCP Games.

The GDC 09 session is titled: "The Council of Stellar Management: EVE Online Bridges Worlds for a Society".

MassivelyEVE's Council of Stellar Management to be discussed at GDC 09 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gamescommunitycouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcultureelectionseveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssongame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2009governancelead-economistmmo-industrypetur-johannes-oskarssonpoliticsresearcherreykjaviksci-fiFri, 13 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Voting for EVE's second Council of Stellar Management begins]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/voting-for-eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-begins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/voting-for-eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-begins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/07/voting-for-eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-begins/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


This has been an important week for our American readers in terms of elections, but now that the minor distraction of real-world governance has been dealt with, it's time to focus on governance in the MMO space. You've got to keep those priorities straight, after all.

The polls are now open in EVE Online's second Council of Stellar Management (CSM) election, where players can vote for candidates to represent their interests before CCP Games... and potentially impact how the game evolves. We can already sense the impulse someone, or several someones, out there has to comment below: "But why should I bother voting? What do they even do?" And to be fair, it's not been very transparent what the CSM has been up to (aside from the meeting minutes), but more so what effect they've had on EVE and its development pipeline.

Continue reading Voting for EVE's second Council of Stellar Management begins

MassivelyVoting for EVE's second Council of Stellar Management begins originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcandidatecandidatesccpccp-gamesccp-xhagencommunitycommunity-relationscouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcultureelectionelectionseveeve-onlinegovernancemmo-industrynew-edennew-featuresorcapoliticsquantum-risesci-fiFri, 07 Nov 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Go Vote!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/the-daily-grind-go-vote/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/the-daily-grind-go-vote/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/the-daily-grind-go-vote/#commentsFiled under: ,


The Daily Grind today is super-simple. We want to know if you voted! No, we don't want to know who you voted for; there are plenty of other sites for that. We just want to know if you American readers have participated in the US presidential elections. Apologies for our non-US readers that this question is so USA-specific, but it's a big day in American politics. We want to be sure to remind readers that voting is an important part of the democratic process - even for MMO players.

Besides, the WoW servers are down right now. Everybody in your guild is offline at work or in voting lines, and all the seasonal world events are still a few weeks away. You've no excuse, MMO player: go get in line. If you don't know where you need to go to vote, Google has a nonpartisan polling location tracker online and available for your use. All you need to do is enter your registered street address and it'll tell you where to go.

So, gamers, we want to know: have you dinged today? Did you vote?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Go Vote! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>democratselectionspoliticsrepublicanstdgthe-daily-grindTue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's second Council of Stellar Management applicants announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-applicants-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-applicants-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eves-second-council-of-stellar-management-applicants-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


EVE Online differs from other MMOs in a number of ways. Differences in game mechanics and setting aside, even the dynamics among the players is different than with your standard sharded MMO. The single server approach puts all of the players in one world, sometimes creating a tense social dynamic between the players, and especially between CCP Games and the EVE subscribers.

The player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM) is an attempt to have a group of players bridge this gap, and represent the interests of the playerbase as a whole by advising CCP on how to keep the game in step with what the players want. Although the first CSM is still in office, the next election process is well underway. EVE dev CCP Diagoras posted a breakdown of the applications for the second Council of Stellar Management, listing statistics and information about those who have their eyes set on a place among the CSM, and plenty to read about each of the individuals in the running.

Continue reading EVE's second Council of Stellar Management applicants announced

MassivelyEVE's second Council of Stellar Management applicants announced originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games announced that it's time for EVE Online's next Council of Stellar Management election process to begin. Here's the message from the Council Election page: "The second democratic elections in EVE will start the 7th of November. Here you can enter your application to run as a candidate for the election. You will run under your real name with an EVE identity for others to relate to. You will have to be ready to appear in public or in mediums. Your account has to be older than 30 days. You are required to put effort into your position. Yet serving the EVE population is well worth it. Get all the necessary information here. Throw your hat in the ring and make history."

Interested candidates will need to have their information submitted to CCP no later than October 17th (extended from their previous announcement that stated October 10th). The application, which requires a candidate to scan and submit an image of their passport, states: It is important to notice that your real life name, country, character name, campaign webpage and campaign message will be made public and available for everyone to see. Players elected to the Council of Stellar Management may also be required to appear on EVE-TV (should it make a comeback) and E-ON magazine, in addition to being willing and able to make the trip to Iceland.

MassivelyEVE's second CSM election process begins originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>candidacycandidateccpccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdemocracye-onelectionelectionseoneveeve-onlineeve-tvvotevotingSun, 05 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The latest EVE Online dev blog deals with the forthcoming changing of the guard, in terms of the player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM). EVE dev CCP Xhagen touched upon the fact that in the nearly 4 months that the first CSM has held office, it became clear(er) to the developers that their own views on some aspects of the game can be differ from how the players see it. While CCP Xhagen didn't list the CSM's accomplishments, he said that some of what the CSM brought to CCP Games won't be implemented until well after the new Council is elected, due to the time it takes to implement changes in the development pipeline. However, some of their efforts "will start to become visible in WAR 1.2 and the winter expansion."

He also announced the dates and details for the second Council of Stellar Management, with a few changes made to the rules. CCP Xhagen said, "... the chairman is eligible for the chair-position again should he decide to step down as such and have the CSM vote a new one; 25% of actual voters are required to force a topic up to the CSM; the biggest change is the 21 year age limit to be a valid candidate." In addition, the timetable for the existing CSM stepping down and the newly elected Council moving into their role is as follows:

Continue reading EVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching

MassivelyEVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Once upon a time, there was a game about internet spaceships set in a vast galaxy, just waiting to be explored and conquered. It wasn't a huge game in terms of subscribers, in fact it was quite niche, but its small following was devoted. The size of the community allowed the developers to really interact with them and refine the game. The devs were approachable, open, and direct. In many respects, the players and developers were friends. All seemed well in the internet spaceships game, until the player base's numbers grew, and so did the collective din of their voices. The developers soon found they had to be careful about what they said to the players, in case they'd be accused of going back on their word somewhere down the line. At the same time, the game company grew to handle all of these new faces. As with most internet communities, the ever-growing numbers of players became more and more hostile, and the developers grew more and more silent...

Then, a developer -- let's call him "t20" -- used his knowledge of the game to cheat a little. Some players received an unfair advantage over others because of this lapse of judgment, and it was revealed publicly. The players became enraged. The developers were embarrassed and apologetic. Many players left the game, or at least loudly professed that they would. Many perceived that the developers, seen as a whole, were untrustworthy. Given how bad this situation was, and seeing no real way to change these perceptions, the game's creators had to accept that this was how things were. The people who built up the game from nothing saw little recourse but to withdraw even further from the very community which was so vital to their success. Does our story end there?

Continue reading The great divide between EVE's players and developers

MassivelyThe great divide between EVE's players and developers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMORPG.com's video scoop from the Leipzig Games Convention wasn't limited to info on EVE Online's upcoming expansions. They also got some face time with Lead Economist Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson of CCP Games, who discusses some of CCP's projects and initiatives, namely the Council of Stellar Management (CSM).

Dr. Eyjólfur shares his point of view on the process of having players interact with the developers on affecting the development pipeline. He also addresses the poor voter turnout in the CSM election, which was not surprising given the general apathy many people have about real-life elections, he comments. The interview largely focuses on Dr. Eyjólfur's experiences with the CSM, but given his role in the company, he also mentioned the economic impact of factional warfare on the market in EVE. More information on this aspect of EVE should be covered in one of his forthcoming Quarterly Economic Newsletters, he says. Be sure to see the video at MMORPG.com if you're interested in seeing more about the Council of Stellar Management and the economics of EVE Online.

MassivelyCCP Games video interview on the Council of Stellar Management originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescouncilcouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmeconomicseconomyelectionseveeve-onlineeventseyjolfur-gudmundssonfactional-warfaregames-conventiongcicelandinterviewslead-economistleipzigmmo-industrymmorpgqenquarterly-economic-newsletterreykjaviksci-fisummitvideoWed, 27 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST