Given everything that has happened this week, I figure it is only a matter of time before someone somewhere points fingers and tries to paint me with a "grr Goons" brush. I mean, let's be honest here, it has already happened over on Crossing Zebras and on Reddit to a certain degree.
For those so inclined I would like to mention a few things. One of which begins with a rather famous picture.
If you've been around Eve for any length of time you've seen this image. It has been posted everywhere, on blogs, on TMC itself, and pretty much anywhere else you can think of. I was proud to do it and still am. Sean was a member of our community and his death was a crossroads for many of us. A sign of how important our real lives truly are, the lives behind the screens, how united this community can and should be, and just how important it is for us to remember those who are no longer with us.
I mention this because Sean's senseless loss galvanized a campaign that I was running at the time for a player memorial. You can watch videos I created that also mention his passing. All of which has something to do (who knows exactly what or how much) with the creation of the Eve Player Memorial in Iceland.
Let me be clear here. I am not pro-Goon either. The entire reason for their existence is anti-Rixx. "We're not here to ruin the game, we're here to ruin YOUR game" is not pro-Eve, pro-Community, or pro-anyone other than themselves. And I've called this out at various times here in this blog for valid reasons. And I make my living in Eve as a scum-sucking Pirate in low-sec. I know a few things about how to get what you want in Eve without being a dick about it. It is, after all, the entire mission statement of A Band Apart and Stay Frosty.
"Don't be a dick" is the counter to ruining your game. And personally I find it extremely encouraging that the "meta" in Eve has turned over the past four years. The Space Clique that runs GSF probably hasn't noticed it, but the over-arching meta in the Eve community has moved on. They are out-of-touch now. And they have no reason to exist. The underlying structure that created them in the first place isn't there anymore. The fact that the Imperium exists at all right now is a testament to nothing other than greed and arrogance.
As for the line members? They are Eve players just like the rest of us. Most of whom probably don't follow blogs, or pay attention to the changing sands of the Meta, or really care much one way or the other. I've never had a problem with any of them. And still don't.
As for where I stand? I stand where I have always stood. It is up to the players to decide, as it always has been. If players want to be a part of what is going on with those in charge of GSF/Imperium, then that is their right. All I can do is to continue to offer my own opinion over here in my little corner of the universe.
There is no "grr Goons" around here. There is only a concern for what is best for Eve and my fellow players.
Onward and upward.
For those so inclined I would like to mention a few things. One of which begins with a rather famous picture.
If you've been around Eve for any length of time you've seen this image. It has been posted everywhere, on blogs, on TMC itself, and pretty much anywhere else you can think of. I was proud to do it and still am. Sean was a member of our community and his death was a crossroads for many of us. A sign of how important our real lives truly are, the lives behind the screens, how united this community can and should be, and just how important it is for us to remember those who are no longer with us.
I mention this because Sean's senseless loss galvanized a campaign that I was running at the time for a player memorial. You can watch videos I created that also mention his passing. All of which has something to do (who knows exactly what or how much) with the creation of the Eve Player Memorial in Iceland.
Let me be clear here. I am not pro-Goon either. The entire reason for their existence is anti-Rixx. "We're not here to ruin the game, we're here to ruin YOUR game" is not pro-Eve, pro-Community, or pro-anyone other than themselves. And I've called this out at various times here in this blog for valid reasons. And I make my living in Eve as a scum-sucking Pirate in low-sec. I know a few things about how to get what you want in Eve without being a dick about it. It is, after all, the entire mission statement of A Band Apart and Stay Frosty.
"Don't be a dick" is the counter to ruining your game. And personally I find it extremely encouraging that the "meta" in Eve has turned over the past four years. The Space Clique that runs GSF probably hasn't noticed it, but the over-arching meta in the Eve community has moved on. They are out-of-touch now. And they have no reason to exist. The underlying structure that created them in the first place isn't there anymore. The fact that the Imperium exists at all right now is a testament to nothing other than greed and arrogance.
As for the line members? They are Eve players just like the rest of us. Most of whom probably don't follow blogs, or pay attention to the changing sands of the Meta, or really care much one way or the other. I've never had a problem with any of them. And still don't.
As for where I stand? I stand where I have always stood. It is up to the players to decide, as it always has been. If players want to be a part of what is going on with those in charge of GSF/Imperium, then that is their right. All I can do is to continue to offer my own opinion over here in my little corner of the universe.
There is no "grr Goons" around here. There is only a concern for what is best for Eve and my fellow players.
Onward and upward.
Comments
From your post over on CZ though, I didn't see you as "grr goon" so much as "grr some guy casually insulted me" which is worse to be honest. At least if you are "grr goon" you have your convictions and you stick with them. Instead, that CZ article made it look like your opinions are able to be swayed by a single article that you dislike.
Then we have this article which itself reads as "grr goon". You're picking out their entire playstyle and saying "that's bad". and in reality, it's not bad, it's one of the most common playstyles in the game. You think merc groups going to war with industrial groups or gankers shooting miners or even traders putting massive sweeping cuts on products aren't doing it with the intention of ruining the day of their competitor? EVE is a highly competitive game, and ruining your opponent is the main way to compete.
The biggest danger to the game is lack of content, and goons certainly generate a lot of that.
But it doesn't make it true. Wanting a strong and vibrant gameworld and community is diametrically opposed to "We want to ruin your game." How can people not see that?
You can lead your people to a lowsec system at the edge of their space and bring death and destruction to them. Mercilessly murder their medium shield booster carriers, their X-large shield booster tengus and whatever shield booster gilas. Then collecting their wailings and cries in local and post them here for everyone to see!
Death to the minions of Evil!
By the way the "charlatan" paragraph wasn't an insult, but a serious narrative towards their line members "everyone else is a greedy bastard like us, so don't be upset if we exploit you, everyone else exploits his line members too"
I think Rixx's writing here, and in the past and especially in the crossing zebras article, has been open minded and legitimately comes from a place where he cares about the well-being of the game and the community as a whole.
Dude, Don't be a dick...
Also in passing;
I don't think the Goon content generation is as big a deal as you think.
Your "ruining your competition" justification is broken
And it is, in my humble opinion, a lesson that others need to learn.
I find it very interesting that Goons don't ever try to answer to that.... that they never have any real counter argument to Mittens Creedo...Because it was and still is the basis by which they play the game and in doing so they have alienated a huge number of the playerbase because of it... and now Sion and so many act surprised.
Oh and, Rixx did not use "Sean" as an example, he used his creating "artwork" regarding that loss to our community as an example.
Kudo's Rixx... you and I may not always see eye-to-eye, but I value you as a fellow blogger, player and someone who, same as I, wants only the very best for our great game.