Please Quit

Way back in January , I wrote a post in response to a challenge from CrazyKinux, called "Why I love Eve".  Nothing has changed much since I wrote that post, I still love Eve, despite its flaws.  But that's me.  And I understand this has recently become less of a universally accepted opinion.  To all those that have been actively quitting or ranting about quitting I would like to offer you words of encouragement.  Please quit.


Personally I've never been a quitter.  I cannot honestly remember a time when I simply quit and walked away from a problem.  At least not before I spent a tremendous amount of effort to make it better.  Of course, there were those times when it became painfully obvious that the situation was not going to change.  That beating my head against that particular brick wall would achieve nothing.  That isn't quitting, that is just common sense.  Is this situation even close to being an immovable wall?  I don't believe so.


Don't get me wrong, there are numerous reasons for quitting Eve.  I've come close to quitting several times over the past two years and I might actually stop playing some day.  It is after all just a game.  Playing Eve is important and enjoyable, but in the grand scheme of life it isn't a very high priority for me.   There are many, many things more important than Eve.  And, in the final analysis, that is what keeps me coming back and logging in as much as I can.  Perspective.  And maybe that is what is missing from so much of what I'm hearing lately, perspective.  


I don't have the answers.  I barely have enough time in the day to figure out the answers for myself, much less the rest of you.  Which is why the title of this post.  It isn't intended as a snark, or sarcasm, but genuine heart-felt advice.  Seriously, if this game has elevated itself to the point where the current CSM/CCP back and forth, the increasingly frustrating lag issues, the unmitigated balls of CCP to ask for your vote during this momentary crisis, or any number of other issues has caused you such anger, such heated angst - then by all means please quit.  Walk away, do yourself a favor and leave it behind.  It isn't doing you any good and you'll be better off.  Find another hobby.  Breath in the air and don't be afraid to care.  Look around, choose your own ground.  (Lol, sorry Floyd, got carried away there.)


Those times I've wanted to quit?  Those were times when I allowed this game to elevate itself to a place where it did not belong.  When Eve rose into a place of importance where it simply shouldn't have been.  I learned my lesson the hard way.  And I managed to take a deep breath and prioritize my experience.  That level of priority is different for everyone and it would be arrogant of me to advise you on where it should fall in your life.  


As for me and my house?  I'm staying around.  I am keenly interested in where this is going and (for now) CCP has deposited a lot of good will in my gaming vault.  They've earned a few passes over the years and I am reserving final judgement for now.  In the end, logging into an immersive global 3D environment where I can fly beautiful spaceships around freely is pretty frickin' cool.  Yes I want more and no I am not happy about some of the things that have happened.  But I'm not a quitter either.  But that's just me.


And a few less veteran players around, and more younger players, will be good for PvP anyway.


PS: The Killmail system would not change, a Hijacked ship would still count as a kill.  There would simply be another field within the KM that would indicate that the killed ship was Hijacked.