[CSM 20] Viola Terra - New Pilots and Small Groups

Council Of Stellar Management CSM Campaigns
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Hello everyone,
I’m Viola Terra and I’m running for CSM 20

:small_blue_diamond: Introduction

Like many, I started small back in 2015: lost, broke, and amazed that a game could be so brutally honest. Given time I joined groups, made friends, lost ships, and found my path as I’ve mined in highsec, roamed nullsec, got into wormholes, built structures, and ran fleets that ended in both glory and disasters alike.

But what really stuck with me through all these years wasn’t the ISK or the killmails. It was the people. Especially new players who logged in not knowing what to do, but with that curiosity that makes EVE enjoyable. Helping them find their way has become the part of the game I enjoy the most. I’m almost a year down now running a small corporation focused on helping new and returning capsuleers, guiding them into PvE, PvP, and even the weird corners of EVE some would never even try on their own while providing engaging small-group content that highsec and wormholes have to offer.

:small_blue_diamond: Expertise

My strongest area is without question the New Player Experience and small group gameplay.
I’ve spent countless hours teaching players how to for e.g. run homefronts in highsec, survive in wormholes, and understand mechanics that EVE never really explains well. I know how overwhelming the first few weeks can be and how quickly a bad start can turn someone away for good.

Beyond that, I got around and done a bit of everything: industry, exploration, PvP fleets, living in a wormhole, mission running, incursions, you name it. I’m not claiming to be the best at any one thing, but I know the basics so that I can relay that information back to the new players to help them find their way. That perspective is what I’ll bring to the CSM.

What sets me apart is that I don’t see “newbros” as temporary players. I see them as future FCs, CEOs or even content creators given time. I had new players grow into leaders because someone took the time to give them a reason to stay. That’s what I want to represent.

:small_blue_diamond: Why am I running for CSM 20

Although it being my first run for CSM, I’m running because I want to be a voice for new players and small groups. Mainly for new players as they play an important part in EVE, but often lack strong connections like others that are already established. EVE has an incredible steep wall-like learning curve that often turns curiosity into confusion. My goal isn’t to make EVE easier, oh no. It’s to make it more approachable, more understandable, and more rewarding for those who are just starting out or trying to do their own thing outside the big blocs as an independent group.

I want to give my support for improvements that:

  • Affect the “early game” and onboarding experience.
  • Encourage small-scale gameplay (PvE and PvP).
  • Make EVE’s complexity more accessible without breaking what we all love and play.

:small_blue_diamond: What Players can expect from me

If you vote for me, you can expect from me to:

↠ Be approachable and active in discussions, both in-game and on the forums.

↠ Bring feedback from the community, especially newer players and smaller organizations:
new player corps, smaller PVE & PVP groups making their name and so on.

↠ Keep a balanced view between veterans and newcomers as EVE needs both.

↠ Communicate clearly and honestly about what’s going on as much as NDA allows.

I’m not running to push a single agenda. I’m running because I care about the people who make this universe worth logging into and because I believe that supporting them strengthens EVE as a whole.

:small_blue_diamond: Final Words

EVE is around now for over two decades because of its strong community. The players who teach, fight, and rebuild after every loss. I want to make sure that the newer players have a chance to find their place in that story.

If you believe that new players and small groups deserve a stronger voice, it would an honor to have your support for CSM 20.

Fly safe, fly dangerous o7

  • Viola Terra
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  • You are a new player, being overwhelmed by the mechanics, the amount of information you get during the first weeks and months and the sheer size of this player-driven sandbox?
  • You are a part of a small group, struggling to get on your own feet in these shark-infested waters?
  • You have the feeling all and every mechanic in this game is made to work against you and your smaller group of friends? Everything seems to work in favor of the big guys?

Then @Viola_Terra is a candidate to vote for!

He knows exactly what you are going through. He has helped a lot of new players to find their place and overcome the initial difficulties! He honestly wants you to succeed in this amazing game! Smaller and newer groups to thrive and grow and maybe become the next FCs, CEOs, content generators, rivals and challengers to the current powers and making the game interesting again. By offering content on all levels and not just viable for those using 10 accounts or joining some big anonymeous bloc and work as grunt under a supercap umbrella.

If you know me and having seen me arguing here at the boards, I am always in favour of the underdogs, the new guys, the smaller groups, because I believe in grassroot growth. And I know that big groups always have the power to solve their problems, one way or another anyway.

Everyone once was a newbro, and the only reason he still is here is because he had opportunities to grow and thrive. Make this game better for those independent, unaligned and new players and groups full of dreams, visions and potential!

Vote @Viola_Terra to support a candidate that stands for exactly that!

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Sounds good!

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Thank you for your kind words!:heart:

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Hello Viola Terra, first of all good luck with your campaign :flexed_biceps: …and may the best will win ofc :sports_medal:
(I will great every candidate this way :nerd_face: )

Hope you find time to share your thoughts on below topics and game ideas.

1. EVE Vanguard
Have you had an occasion to try it during Operation Nemesis or earlier? What was your impression if any?

What do you think about bidirectional connection planned with EVE Online? Do you see it has a potential to attract more players towards New Eden? And do you think Capsuleers will benefit from it?
2. Information & ISK itemization
How about being able to take a notes from your notepad and put it as an item into container or ship cargo? Same with an amount of ISK? Just like you can do with PLEX.

More details https://forums.eveonline.com/t/information-itemization-put-notes-into-cargo-containers

Would you pitch CCP to consider implementing it?
3. Production Plans
Basically the idea behind this is to bundle all the BPOs (BPCs), required to produce some final product, say, an assembled Drake fully fitted according to some saved fit ready for duty, into a single BPO-like item, and internally arranged into an intricate production workflow. Complete with logistics tasks, if necessary, using delivery corp projects. It could use BPMN diagram editor to arrange.

When installed into industrial job slot it will churn out those Drakes, provided there are required materials in linked containers or pause until they are become available again.

More details https://forums.eveonline.com/t/feature-request-production-plans

Would you pitch CCP to consider implementing it? Or at least expand ESI to allow 3rd party developers to do it?
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Greetings Elinore

Thank you and of course will I share my thoughts on your ideas.

As for Vanguard:

  1. Yes, I did play Vanguard: Nemesis both in Space and on the Ground for the duration of the Event. I took every opportunity to play Vanguard as I played in all playtests so far. I was quite impressed with what we got presented, even as an pre-alpha version, and how far it got developed. I think we all know it needs its fine-tuning (Shotgun being insanely overpowered or having to take Chips into deployments to dump them…). As for the Connection of these two games, I don’t think it will directly attract more players to new eden. It will make it for existing players more interesting while giving them a completely different game with the EVE coating. IF CCP makes something good out of it then yes, all could benefit from vanguard but I just don’t see players starting to play EVE just because of Vanguard as of now.

The Notepad & ISK item:

  1. The Notepad thing, great idea and concept to make information more easy to share, but the ISK one, I don’t think its a good idea. I don’t see the point behind having ISK in your cargohold other than having a funny killmail or obviosly avoiding some ISK transfer wallet activity between characters. I also think it will most likely Support RMT Isk sellers/buyers for distribution of their isk more easily making it more painful for the GMs to track RMT buyers/sellers. So probably not something I will support except for the Notepad part.

IIndustry-Workflow QOL:

  1. This is also something CCP could work on as you described it. Would be an nice QoL Feature while making Industry more approachable for Newbros without having to study multiple excel-sheets and websites. I don’t think the ESI part is necessary as there are already tools out there that actually do that already but I would give support to have something like this in-game, in combination with corp- or even freelance jobs interacting with it. Gives them more purpose anyways…

Best regards,

Viola

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Two questions about your campaign:

  • Usually CSM candidates run for a specific space.
    What would you say is your strong point?
    Would you consider yourself a wormhole candidate aswell?
  • You’re talking about starting back in 2015, though the character you’re running with was created in 2024. How can we trust you telling us about your 10 year experience with the game when you’re supposedly not running with your main charater?
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Hey Alyssia,
Thanks for checking in and your questions.

  • My strongest areas, where I want to actively represent and push for improvements, are Highsec and Lowsec, since that’s where most newer players and developing groups normally start their journey or dip their feet into more complex thematics like FW and PVP itself and where people tend to work in smaller groups.

    I do currently live in wormhole space, but I don’t consider myself a wormhole candidate. There are already plenty of strong wh-focused candidates with much more experience in that space. Even with some of them living there since before I even started playing EVE.

  • Fair question.
    Well I can say my experience in EVE isn’t tied to a character :slight_smile:

    Usually you don’t start and run your own corp focused on newer players and small-scale activities after 60 days of playing EVE unless you know what you’re doing.

    Over a decade of EVE, I’ve stacked tons of characters in different areas of spaces and specializations so I didn’t really have a main like you normally would. After taking a year off due to burnout, I decided to create this character as my actual main, while also starting from the beginning to experience the game from a fresh perspective to what everyone has to go though if they are just starting out. That way, I can genuinely say I’ve experienced it, rather than just remembering what I did years ago. That’s why my character is from 2024.

    TLDR; trust needs to be earned and you’re free to not believe one word but, especially those that have flown with me know, I tend to prove it with actions rather than words.

Hope that covers your questions.

  • o7 Viola
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So is Viola Terra an alt then And you have other character(s) with a reputation in the EVE universe ?

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Hey Kiera,

No - Viola is my main and my other characters do not have any reputation whatsoever, otherwise I would’ve used those :slight_smile:

Requirements state that it’s not allowed to run with other characters if you already have characters with reputation in EVE so since I don’t have those, i run with Viola

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I’ve been around for a little while, since the summer before Havoc, though I mothballed my insurgency character and dabbled briefly with industry before calling it quits on that.

One thing that was frustrating is that even in rookie chat people are directed to a dozen or more outside sources to try to figure out what they want to do, what they are doing, what they can do, and how to do it. I think the UI pointer tool is an example of something very helpful, along with the ability to link missions/other content in the game as you play it.

My question is: do you have any thoughts on how we can bring any of that functionality from third-party tools into the game, keeping players engaged with the client and flying (safely) in space?

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“No - Viola is my main and my other characters do not have any reputation whatsoever, otherwise I would’ve used those”

Well If you don’t have anything to hide, why not play the new Player EXP and still Candidate with your (if it’s true) 10yr old Character? Not very convincing and when you look at the history of player driven Drama in the Game not the best way to convince ppl to vote for you by not providing the names of your old Characters.

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Hey Bliss,

Yes, that’s a problem many new and even returning players run into.
Most apps/wikis etc. are years of work and maintance. Just simply replacing them, making them obsolete to use would not be so great for those putting in the effort to help others by providing information and tools.

What could be done:
I thought of a feature that could be called like “Community Center” where you would simply collect all those informations from trusted sources on there, feature or promote creators/bloggers/corporations/tools and give players a one-stop tool that shows you all you need in one place in-game rather than having it spread through multiple youtube-guides, reddits posts or websites without taking away traffic for those websites.

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Greetings David,

Fair point!
We all love our drama

To answer directly: The older characters I used over the years no longer exist in-game as they chill in Doomheim. And like many players who’ve gone through different stages of gameplay, I had industry/mining/research alts too, but they don’t reflect what I actively do or represent today.

If it’s helpful or of interest, I have no issue being transparent about characters I own. For example:

I don’t want to hide anything or make unnecessary drama. I just simply believe representation should come from where you actively stand now. If you still have questions or doubts, ask away, I’m here :slight_smile:

Hope that clears it up. o7

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Thx, I didn’t want to imply YOU want drama. I was just suspicious, why a 10yr old EvE-Veteran would not see, how an opaque way of dealing with the question about the older Characters would undermine your application for CSM.

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You mention being focused on NPE, which is a topic close to my heart as well.

You talked about a community center which can be good, especially when advice is piled into there, but it would probably still be an out of game resource and would require a ton of work and time of everyone involved to do vetting of content going into there and have constant checks if it’s still relevant.

Do you have any ideas on what could be some more ingame ways to enhance/prolong the NPE and get people a little bit more help discovering EVE while holding their hand for a little longer before they are sent out to space to make their own story?

Are you also open to some discussion of some of the ideas that could be brought to CCP to get us more players staying ingame rather than bouncing off of the learning cliff?

Also, good interview today :slight_smile:

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Hey Gildii

Thanks for checking in and the kind words, appreciate that.
Right, I also focus on the NPE so our newbros don’t quit after losing their first ship or smash into the mighty learning curve that looks like a wall :slight_smile:

Of course, I have plenty ideas / inspirations on how things could be changed. Even little tweaks like a few extra words on that topic to improve it. I.e. I liked where CCP was going with launching the EVE Academy Website, like that central information platform I always wanted to see but it still feels not yet optimized and even some stuff not being explained properly leaving you with more “???” then before after reading it.

Always open for discussions on ideas!

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Thanks for your reply!

Hope to see you on the list of next CSM and will reach out with some ideas I had in the past (was even thinking of running myself, but I do not have the time atm, nor think I am well known enough to actually have a chance ^^’)

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Voting about to start, make sure you all get your votes in.

Every Vote counts, no matter if you’re new or been playing for years. Make your voice count!

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Voting started go go go :slight_smile: