tl;dr – I’m not running for CSM 15
The last year has been an honor as a CSM member, but I will not be running for election in CSM 15.
Life has gotten steadily busier at my work, with 40+ people added to my staff and having to lead our technical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am stretched thin these days.
Also, I am concerned to not become cynical about CCP and EVE Online. Once you see how the sausage is made, it is easy to lose confidence in the developers. That’s not to critique CCP, it’s just the reality that the way things get done in any business is messy and you’ll hear a lot of things that make your eyes go wide. It’s a normal reaction to anyone that’s ever been ‘brought behind the curtain’. It’s better to step away without becoming pessimistic.
More importantly, I don’t want to get cynical about the players, the very people I was elected to represent. EVE players can be harsh and it’s normal to feel antipathy toward someone that attacks you. I don’t want those personal attacks to guide my CSM efforts with my feedback to CCP. Nor do I want to see player’s reasonable complaints as “the same old thing” and ignore them.
I have tried to listen to anyone that contacted me and present their concerns to CCP, even if it wasn’t something I agreed with, and will continue to do so until the end of my term.
Hopefully my regular communication about the CSM has been helpful in some understanding of what the CSM is doing and how it operates.
It has been an honor to represent the players and discuss the issues with a wide array of people from all over the world with many different playstyles. Thank you for your time and input!
Special thanks to CCP for their support and patience with my ideas and comments. The trust, faith, and spending you put into the CSM is appreciated and a huge sign of your commitment to the players and their concerns.
Regarding the next CSM election, I differ from some of my fellow CSM, and believe that new CSM members can help invigorate the process and do not require years of being on the CSM to be useful. A certain amount of cynicism builds up over the years and is counterproductive.
I recommend choosing representatives that understand the being on the CSM is basically about being in many business meetings, being able to present feedback in a detailed and non-threatening way, and to respond to the wider player community directly.
See you on grid. 7o
P.S. CCPlz T2 Salvage Drones
Have Fun. Stay Classy. Be Brave.