Liveblogging the CSM Roundtable

The CSM is holding a roundtable discussion to answer questions in-game (now closed).  The channels are CSM_ROUNDTABLE_QUESTIONS and CSM_ROUNDTABLE_QUESTIONS.  I've missed the first question because of work, but the transcripts are supposed to be posted later.  Given that, here we go...

Question 2 - [19:13:55] Dierdra Vaal > What is the CSM's read on how much input they/we will have on Incarna game play given how it's been revealed to be more or less a blank space?

Mynxee believes that input will be pretty good, but TeaDaze is skeptical about the level of input in the initial release.

And the CSM is live posting the transcripts here.

Question 3 [19:22:25] Dierdra Vaal > Are there any examples that the CSM has had a positive effect on the game thus far? If so what are they?

CCP Xhagen is in the house and gives the CSM credit for issues like "The War on Lag", the skill queue and changes to the Black Ops ships.

Mynxee states that communications between CSM and CCP are influencing the attitudes at CCP.

Korvin states that insurance changes and mineral drop rates in Tyrannis were influenced by CSM.  I'm pretty sure that is BS.  I think CCP was going to make the changes anyway.

CCP Xhagen states that having the CSM to go to first when communicating volatile issues (like the moon goo exploit) is valuable.

Question 4 [19:34:26] Dierdra Vaal> When is the clickfest-removal fix to PI going to be deployed? Nov, dec, or january/feb/whenever?

PI updates will happen in January.  I'm sad.  I was hoping 30 November.

Question 5 [19:36:52] Dierdra Vaal > Why doesn't ccp comment on items passed by CSM vote?

I'm glad this is in-game so I can copy and paste.  This answer is interesting.

[19:38:38] CCP Xhagen > This question is actually an excellent chance to detail the change that the CSM has gone through. That has now changed to where the CSM is more involved in high-level stuff while having the option to bring up the issues they would like to discuss further. The rest of the issues have been dealt with via email during this year.

Question 6 [19:41:38] Dierdra Vaal >Does CSM does anything in order to help CCP locate and fix exploits? 

The short answer is yes.  Although the answer appears to just bring up exploits if they are noticed.  Considering the large corporations/alliances some of the CSM members are in, that could conceivably be a huge set of eyes.

Question 7 [19:47:02] Dierdra Vaal > Does the csm feel that it would be a worthy goal to favor game mechanics which would lower the amount of time in eve it takes to find good fight?

Okay, this is a question that is a bit impossible for CCP to accomplish, I think.  So I'll take this opportunity to state Dierdra isn't doing too bad a job moderating this.  Probably coming from his Eve University background.  Also, the chat channel has not gone above 45 so far.

Mynxee also leaves as RL > EVE.

Oh, TeaDaze brings up the "simulator" idea.  I agree with him.  NO!

Question 8 [19:57:10] Dierdra Vaal > Has there been any movment or news from CCP at all about a change to the jump-drive animation, which as once an awesome swirly vortex and is now a fairly uninspiring droplet effect?

CCP Xhagen has no information.  More pandas become sad in New Eden.

Question 9 [20:00:19] Dierdra Vaal - What are some of the issues the CSM plans to raise in the post Dominion 0.0 and Game Balance areas?

So far it looks like there is a big interest in changing SOV mechanics within the CSM.  But the thing may be to spend more development time on any changes CCP wishes to implement.

Question 10 [20:06:28] Dierdra Vaal - What CSM thinks about upcoming expansion, will it allow for small corps to participate? Or will it be instantly overrun by huge alliances? Will the new content be any more interesting than missioning / sleeper hunting?

A little dissention in the ranks as TeaDaze thinks the incursions are trying to be all things to all people and will fail at all.  I think everyone on CSM believes the big alliances will dominate killing the incursions at first.

Question 11 - [20:13:48] Dierdra Vaal - Are there any plans (in the long term or otherwise) from CCP to improve ship aesthetics? The ability for players to change the color scheme of their ships, more intuative/functional turret placement on the ship models, animated missile lanchers, etc?...

That would be cool, but the CSM doesn't know.

Question 12 - [20:15:42] Dierdra Vaal > How much of a factor was the CSM and the CCP: Commit to Excellence threadnaught on you decision to include several of the community requested improvements that are coming in Incursion?

CCP Xhagen says it was a large factor.  "The more complicated answer is: coupled with the June summit meeting minutes it became clear that CCP and the player community were not in sync.  It has been pretty amazing to be a part of having a whole company re-examine our relationship with our customers. This is what the CSM was created to do and I make sure they get the chance to continue doing it."

And I think I have my greater than symbol problem figured out.

Question 13  [20:21:09] Dierdra Vaal > has the csm got access to more test servers like was brought up in the summit notes.

There is only one called multiplicity.

Question 14 [20:22:37] Dierdra Vaal > Is there any ingame mailing list to follow up on CSM's actions and newest posts with info on progresses? if not, ever thought on planning one?

Reading Jita Park and Assembly Hall is best way to keep up to date.  There is a list called CSM-NEWS for major announcements.

Question 15 [20:27:16] Dierdra Vaal > are there any updates to ccp introducing microtransactions.

From CCP Xhagen, "The CSM brought up very valid points regarding micro transactions which we listened to very carefully. The whole thing is being re-examined by us as a result of that. I don't know when the results of that discussion (nor do I know the outcome as I'm not directly involved) but you can trust that the CSM has been applying pressure both in regards to a solution and communication."

Question 16 [20:32:40] Dierdra Vaal > if after 2 overhauls black ops have no real purpose and are one of the least used ships in eve, is there any plan to make them viable?

Dierdra is in his black-op ship?  I figured he would have lost that thing a long time ago.

TeaDaze doesn't thing the ship is too bad in its current role, hotdropping bombers and recons.

Question 17 [20:39:55] Dierdra Vaal > Given the.. less than favourable response to PI in the last expansion, is the CSM concerned about incursions in Incursion? CCP's reactions to their concerns?

Both Dierdra and TeaDaze are concerned about the impacts they may have.

Question 18 [20:45:04] Dierdra Vaal > Can CCP Xhagen be Icer Xx's pet?

A silly question based on the conversations in the questions chat channel.

Question 19 [20:46:46] Dierdra Vaal > With new evegate stuff and new forums on the horizon, do we know if there will be some better content management tools for the assembly hall, or will there be atleast the chance to vote no?

The answer is no, but CCP Xhagen is working on it for later on.

Question 20 [20:53:10] Dierdra Vaal > Does the CSM know how incarna will effect Empire wardecs? Seeing as it effectively removes the menace of a station camp?

I agree with Dierdra that Incarna will not change much to station camps.  I don't understand why anyone would think that it would, unless CCP is going to add a lot more content then they have announced.

TeaDaze did bring up the question about the interaction with incursions and wardecs:

[20:56:03] TeaDaze > Wardecs might discourage various corps from clearing the incursion sites. I'll leave you to decide if that is good or bad [end]


Question 21 [21:00:18] Dierdra Vaal > Does CCP have a fleshed out product roadmap guiding the company with where they want to take the game Eve Online and the IP it represents?
CCP Lemur stated that CCP is doing a 5 year plan and a 10 year plan for Eve.  Wow!

Question 22 [21:04:14] Dierdra Vaal > 2000 responses to crowdsourcing skiped any response to the community about the results so far?
Results to be posted after downtime on Thursday.

Question 23 [21:06:09] Dierdra Vaal > are there any proposissions/discussions within the csm/ccp for any sort of major UI overhaul? (think corporate interface and scanning tools)

CCP Lemur stated that "from a development point of view we get more bang for our buck when we redo the ui at the same time we touch a feature itself like we have done with the mail system, which I think went pretty good."

Question 24  [21:15:41] Dierdra Vaal > The "Flogging the Dead Horse" modular starbase concept is infamous for sticking around for so long and being endorsed by a large portion of the Eve Community for the past four years. However, each time it was raised by the CSM...
[21:16:16] Dierdra Vaal > ...it has been quietly dropped by both CCP and the CSM. Why is it so quickly discarded, and why hasn't the idea been looked at as a primary feature?

From Dierdra, who participated in CSM1, he would like to see it, but things there are a lot more important things to work on.

Question 25 [21:20:03] Dierdra Vaal > Has the CSM raised the continued issues with the mail system (partic formatting) with CCP and what are the odds it will finally get fixed

Apparently the bugs in the mail system were associated with the UI corification efforts and slowly being hammered out.

And the round table is now closed.  The transcripts are available here.

My final thought is that this was interesting, especially since CCP devs participanted.  I probably won't live blog another one, but I'll definitely be interested in reading the transcripts.