Mike Azariah for CSM 15

Council Of Stellar Management CSM Campaigns
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Yes I am running again. For those of you somewhat new to this sort of thing? I served on CSM’s 8, 9, and 10

I still am thought to represent the people who tend not to vote, the new players and hisec carebears. I still think ganking is a thing that should stay and that the wardec changes have been good, so far. But that is not the whole story. I want the whole game to survive, to grow, to be what it has been and MORE. Improvement, not change for change sake, and dammit metrics to know if things DID improve.

I have a rep for saying what I think and doing what I say I will do . . . even if I am a spaceship politician. Ask around, see who I am or ask below any questions you might have for me.

Bio type stuff? I am a retired teacher and I . . . oh you mean in game. I have played since 2008, served on 3 CSM’s (as mentioned above). I run Operation Magic School Bus in game helping out new pilots and am a regular in the Rookie Help Chat. You will find posts of what I think all over these forums. I am on twitter a lot @mikeazariah .

I like Eve. I enjoy helping out where I can and am offering to represent the average players (whatever the hell that means) on the council. I am not a member of any corp, alliance, coalition. I play a game and want to see it keep getting better. If you agree that I can help do that then put me on your ballot.

Any questions? Endorsements? Curses?

m

edit: sheesh, barely get it out and someone helpful points out that I need to answer the damn questions.

Your EVE Online Story:
Well I do think that I answered that one above. But a shade more detail and focus. I got into Eve because of the single shard and the idea that what you did in the game could have consequences. Articles of grand betrayals and intricate schemes captured me.

Then, once in I found my skill set was in talking to people, using information and disseminating it. A wardec against the mining corp that I was in ended partially because I contacted all the other corps that had been decked and we organized. Then I found the politics of the game and ran for CSM, lost horribly.

Thing is, in Eve, we are immortal. Loss is not the end it is the beginning, where we begin to learn. So I played and talked and tried again . . . and again . . . eventually I won a seat in CSM 8. I served two more terms after that and then took some time off of the politics for health reasons. I practically live in Rookie Help chat and have done so for 5 years. But I am still here and ready to step up and help out again.

Your areas of expertise. In which areas of the game do you feel you are the most knowledgeable? What qualities set you apart from other candidates?

Which brings me to HOW I can help. I would argue that I know the New Player Experience fairly well and face it, we NEED a stream of new blood into the game or it will whither and die. The other skill I bring is one many others will to (I hope) the willingness to set aside petty in game politics to look at the game as a whole. Do not do things for you group but for the whole game. I am almost always willing to talk to people, get their input, listen.

Why are you applying for the CSM?

Because I think I can help. I have the skill set, the experience, and the time to do so (being retired)

What can players expect from you?

I have a proven track record of talking to the players, reporting back from the CSM summits and being active. I will explain why I wont take your idea of a ship that can stay cloaked while shooting/tackling to CCP and will ask for more details if you have an idea that might fly. I have done this in the past and spearheaded the push that got us the Bowhead.

Where can players learn more about you and what you do?

Well starters would be my blog but fair warning, I tend to write a lot in character

Twitter I am @Mikeazariah and I am very active there

Youtube channel. Just a few lessons for the new bros AND how to put beads in your moustache

But more than anything? If you want to see one vid that helps get a feel for my lunacy and my commitment? Winning in Eve Which was a talk I gave in Eve Vegas 2017

There , Boxes checked (I hope)

m

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Mike is one of the fixtures of the CSM and probably the absolute best person to represent high sec. He’s got my unqualified support.

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I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on this a bit. As in, you like all the changes and you think the game should continue in that direction?

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One of the main issues, to me, with wardecs was the one sided nature it was perceived to have. The attackers were seen to have all the choices. As a result it was driving new players out of the game. This is bad. I would love to know how the actual numbers are shifting but the anecdotal evidence is that this pain point is being addressed.

It is not perfect. Eve players are very good at finding holes in plans. I wrote this back in 2012 https://mikeazariah.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/peace-dec/ and it still makes me giggle.

m

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this one is easy as well…
#SPACEPRINCESSAPPROVED

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Hi Mike, good to see you running for CSM.

Out of all those who claim to represent High Sec and NPE, I can think of nobody better than you.

As such you definitely have my vote.

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Mike, you got my vote, easiest voting decision in my life :smiley:

Mike, you’re an unsung hero of the EVE community. From the CSM to his Magic School Bus program for new players, you just quietly and competently serve to make things better for all players in so many ways that simply can’t be counted. The universe is better with you in it.

:heart:

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A most solid endorsement, a tried and true candidate - the CSM the game needs. 100% getting my primary vote.

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+1 vote for Mike here, easy choice.

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Change needed to happen with Wardecs and it’s good that defenders have options now, but is the problem really fixed? A lack of player engagement in the Wardec system is something that won’t be fixed and will still give the illusion that Wardecs are unfair and one sided.

  • What is your opinion on the general players involvement and use of Wardecs (defensively as well)?

  • What is your opinion on “clever use of game mechanics” that all sorts of players use to leverage an advantage? When is “clever use of game mechanics” too impactful that it warrants a change?

  • Are you open to feedback from those that the general community detests? The people that actually use Wardecs aggressively have seen their style of gameplay changed drastically and it’s evident that the best option is to join a huge Wardec alliance that just camps trade hubs. Wars used to be about more than camping trade hubs and being used primarily to bash structures. There were smaller entities in Highsec that used guerilla warfare to go after each other. Are you willing to accept feedback from those that have been pushed out of the game due to NOT wanting to participate in a an activity that has reinforced blanket Wardecs and camping trade hubs?

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Without a doubt, one of the best examples of in game , for the game, diplomat to new players. While others may help those newer players in their alliance/corp, Mike has been a long term shining example of unbiased leadership. He’s out there ,whether in the rookie help or driving his bus, just trying to encourage and retain as many new players as he can. It would be unfair to categorize him merely as a HS candidate, since what he does helps keep the lifeblood of new players flowing into EVE. His actions have helped every section of EVE by helping to provide new blood retention in a cutthroat game.

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THAT. That right there is the first question before anything else! Did it make a difference? Did it work? Did it too much or not enough or not a damn thing?

This is what I mean by follow-through. Fixes are all well and good but I would like report cards on the effect and what actually resulted.

I have nothing against Wardecs, they are a part of the game. I just think that they seemed to be a negative driver in pilot retention. THAT I had issue with. I have been evicted from a system (POS) by a wardec. No big deal, still playing. I am not asking that we throw babies out with the bath water but sometimes the water does need to be changed (babies can get amazingly dirty)

You pretty well answered that one yourself. Leverage an advantage? That is Eve. To the point that it ‘warrants a change’ yeah, then it needs a revisit.

Oh hell, yes. I have said it before and I will say it again. I talk to people, I listen. Not just my echo chamber, that would be stupid. Not just the people in my alliance, coalition, corp. (None of which I have)

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Look back on my forum record of wading into the threadnoughts and trying to summarise, mediate.

For a time I actually flew in a POS bashing corp. I was part of that lifestyle. And yeah, camping a hub makes sense if you are looking for traffic and targets. Why the hell would you look where the people and targets were not. If they want to give me feedback, bring it on. But just always keep in mind that I try to look at things from as many sides as possible. So I would ask them what they thought of my peace-dec story I wrote and what their reaction was to that.

Will I manage to talk to everyone? Probably not. But I try . . .

m

(btw, the above gif is also who I want to vote, for me or for someone else)

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Sounds good. Here, have my support.

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I think the first issue with getting everyone to vote is: why would anybody care about the CSM?

It is just a student-council/popularity-contest. The CSM seems to use its tiny influence primarily to lobby for more money and less risk for their constituents. Oh, and also graft sometimes.

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Well, I have served three terms on the CSM, still poor. I must be bad at it. That or what it seems to you is not correct. Guess which I believe to be true.

Popularity contest? Yeah, that is kind of what all elections are.

Graft? It has happened and been handled.

But you are right in one thing, a lot of folks don’t care about the CSM. They come to play their game and don’t want to be bothered with all this politics stuff. And that is fine, for them. Me I am trying to help so I run for the CSM (again and again)

CCP seems to feel that there is some value in it. They fly us to Iceland to meet with them face to face for days and days of meetings. Oh they do not always do what we say they should do . . . sometimes they don’t even listen. They are REAL people. People do that, sometimes.

But to throw your hands up and say that the CSM has no purpose? No use?

I disagree with you and THAT is why I am running.

m

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That’s a good question. Why do you care about the CSM?

I mean, you’ve managed to post multiple times in many of the campaign threads, so I’d love to hear your take.

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You are particularly notorious. I have very incomplete information, so I am reading your thread for clues. (And occasional sniping/trolling).

As for Mike’s thread, he seems like the candidate that is most likely to inspire me to actually vote. But, so far, I am just not feeling it. Knowing that the null blocks just buy votes from skillpoint farmers, etc. and that the CSM cannot really do anything anyway.

I don’t think I posted in any others.

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The null blocs don’t buy votes from skillpoint farmers - they don’t have to, as they have large numbers of active players with active accounts who vote. It’s the marginal candidates with lots of money who are able to buy votes.

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So much better, thank you for clarifying.