My view of the CSM when it was elected was to eyeroll due to the number of null sec alliance members. I thought they would be whole heartedly concerned with null, only null and nothing but null. While I'm sure they are, they are also a more diverse bunch than I initially thought. They may not have a solo carebear or hi-sec only dweller's view point as the only form of existence but most are not the full on null nuts I thought they were. With the release of the CMS minutes I have reversed some of my optimism slightly. I'm more concerned than I had been but I think that is more due to CCP's plans moving forward regardless of the CSM. At least I know that there are some viewpoints the CSM share that are the same as any Hi-sec'er.
I just wish there was a broader scope and viewpoint during the PVE section.
Also the New Player Experience sounds great but players "may" be let down when they actually get into the main game no matter what angle they join the greater playerbase. I hope that the newer PVE makes greater strides to build up the narrative.
The upcoming dev blogs and Eve Vega's will be the real telling points in whats coming. Devil in the detail as it were.
For the most part the minutes are "the usual" to and fro discussions. Some insight into CCP, some insight into the CSM. Seeing how both work among themselves and interacting with each other. The minutes are a real insight in more ways than one.
There are some interesting things and am concerned with more than a few of them.
I am concerned that there was no mention of Faction warfare in the entire minutes outside of it being mentioned when new players will be directed to it once they finish the new player experience.
I am also concerned that there is still no mention of any kind of changes to the bounty system. Even a change to make bounties only placeable on a character if they are suspect of below a certain sec status. There is no real reason to put a bounty on anyone other to annoy them with a large bounty sticker on their portrait.
Really happy to get some more updated info on the training speed of Alpha clones, 50% of Omega's.
I 'm also happy to get an update on the skill queue limit for Alpha's, the old 24 hour rule applies.
Mixed feelings on hearing that jump clones are "going". It will be good to get those skill points refunded (probably?) and that you get to use clones you already have. It's a game changer.
I was unhappy with the thought of more clone grades. I can see CCP doing it for money but I think it confuses the game concepts and adds more layers to the game that are only going to confuse players and make it seem more like a pay to win game (at least seem more like that, than it is now).
The line that CCP didnt' want Alpha clones to get any valuable rewards the same as Omega clones "irked" me. I'm surprised because CCP has gone out of their way saying that they want Alpha's to have the same experience as "normal" clones. That they didnt' want them differentiated. I'm sure CCP will have a lot of monitization options for Alpha's.
Either way if CCP thinks a Gnosis and a few other ships and a SKIN make it worth subbing for 3 month's they are very mistaken on what is "valuable".
And if I sounded belligerent in that last paragraph I am. No apology, CCP has a lot to do in order for me to return to paying for an account.
If only there was a reward system for long term subbing players.... #Mysterycode
The last thing that's worth mentioning is the entire meeting with Team Phenomenon. The PVE section. Page 24 to 26.
I have spent the last 30 minutes venting a bile filled rant wall of text that I can't post as it's not good reading. Besides I have already ranted in the paragraph above. What I will do instead is to highlight a few points that summarise my view.
Regardless of what I think, the minutes are well worth a read and the more info CCP gives the better a picture a player can get.
Making NPC's act like players is not PVE. And everything they are writing about in the section makes me very concerned for the future of the solo mission runner.
I like that they are thinking of making standings count for something.
Making the universe more dynamic and interesting. Sounds cool. But as actioned by CCP the NPC's in space will only be gank targets for hit and run players. These NPC's will be the draw for PVE players and in doing so they will draw in gankers and PVPers. I think CCP is taking their que from the incursion community with these new NPC's. By having it spread out in a much smaller way I think that CCP is looking the wrong way at it. Time will tell. Forcing PVE solo players into group pvp is not a step many pve players will take.
I'm not a fan of a system that reacts to the number of people involved, it doesn't take into account the skills of the players, the ships they are in or the way those ships are fit. Add in the usual non PVE modules and that mix gets worse. It's a complex equation. I'm sure CCP has more up their sleeve than player beating AI and basic number multipliers....
My feelings are best summed up in the phrase:
"The road to
CCP is taking us there and the paving is not so good (Incarna anyone? How much has CCP really learnt in the long run).
More details are needed than the minutes provide, it will take a lot of testing and a lot of tweaking for sure it is years away from being "complete".
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