Over the past 18 years I've made most of my in-game ISK from providing Alliance Logo designs for the community. I have no idea how many I've created but at last count it was easily over 1,200 which also includes blog banners, youtube banners, meet-up logos (like Eve Toronto, Eve Vegas, etc), and other community logos and branding pieces. I can't begin to tell you how many good natured people have asked me if I accept cash for this service. In fact, it just happened again yesterday. I did what I always do and explained that I cannot accept cash for this service and can only accept ISK. Those are the rules.
About ten years ago I considered starting a Patreon. Before I did so I reached out to CCP to ask about how that would work and if it would be ok, what steps did I need to take, etc. It was then that I learned about paywalls, member rewards, and how important the line is between creating pieces for everyone versus paid subscribers. You can't provide something to paid members that non-paid members cannot also access. It was this that eventually led me to abandon the Patreon concept and move on to other things.
If you've read this blog for any length of time you know I've pushed the edge on things with CCP/FC many times in the past. But those efforts were always on behalf of the entire community. Every single Cease & Desist letter was another step towards a better partnership program and an official bridge between creators and CCP/FC. Those efforts all paid off and now myself and other artists have that bridge. And all creators have benefitted from those efforts. Andrew's book series, the board game, the officially licensed artists selling their art, all of those things are the results of those efforts. And I take a great deal of pride in that knowledge.
I'm not going to comment directly regarding this latest scandal. I'm just getting caught up and I do not know the specifics. I don't really watch much streaming and I am only barely aware of the content creator involved. We met briefly at Fanfest and I've had some dealings with him in the past that are best left on the cutting room floor. I don't have a dog in this fight.
Goodness knows, in all my years in this community - I've made my own mistakes. And I've owned up to each and every one of them. Way back in 2008 when I started, I didn't know an MMO from a hole in the ground. I once used a credit card to buy ISK by mistake. I had no idea that it was against the rules. I had that ISK removed and got a stern warning from CCP. I never did that again. It happens. We all make mistakes. But we own up to them and learn from them. None of us are perfect.
But there are rules. And the rules are important. They protect all of us. I watched that video from Fanfest, the one at the top of this post, and you should also watch it. The rules seem pretty straight forward. I follow those rules. We all should be.
But Fenris should be more than anyone. They are, after all, their rules.
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