Originally by: Mitchello

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Originally by: CCP Atlas

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1) The blog represents the first draft of what our bizdev department is thinking of in terms of the license agreement. We published it to get feedback from you guys. This is not the final word on the matter and we want to build this service up with you so that it's fair and empowers you to build these applications and services which better the game.

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Please do not take this the wrong way, or personal, that is not how it is intended.

It is not very smart to say the least, to "dump" an announcement to any userbase without having made sure that you know what reception is going to be like.

A topic as sensitive as this, which you (CCP "the company") should instinctively realise and communicate on, should never be treated as an experiment.

There is a very simple reason for this. You sell a service. Your core currencies are those of belief and trust. When you do these things, you violate those currencies and deplete their reservoirs among user group types.

It does not take a genius to see how that is bad. You sell and keep on the basis primarily of that, no matter how much shiny is added on top, this is what doing business comes down to. Period.

If you cannot guarantee that you can stimulate, motivate, or guide reception and adoption, you should never take any step which compromises those two currencies. Ever. Period.

If you sold soup in a supermarket, you could get away with that indefinately. But you are selling a service model. What you do and say, is carried along forever. The specifics will be forgotten over time, but the sentiments and memories carry on, far outside existing userbases. In these days of social networking, transient media, and distributed communities you must never forget that the word of mouth that is your instrument, which grew your product, is not by definition the same as the concept of "drama sells" or "there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Why? You said it yourselves. EVE is real. It's so real, that it is life. It is an experience. When word of mouth reaches that treshold where it overshadows your own messaging (let's be honest, even if you hired half the gaming and advertising industry you would not be able to compete with the concept of social and other networking) you have a problem. Not just for EVE, but for the integrity of your brand.

Which, I am sure you are aware of, is what the currency of your enterprise is in capital and prospects.

So really, don't do these things. Just don't.

And please do not ever again (see CCP Zinfandel) experiment like this. Regardless of whether that was intended or not, perception defines reality so intention matters a lot less than the consequences. Taking the angle of "we wanted to get feedback" is wrong here. It does not match your presentation of the devblog, period. It is also the wrong angle for damage control, or even open communications.

Besides, you have a CSM, who heard nothing of you on this, if you really sought feedback. Ok fine, this CSM is not representative for the userbases of EVE, that is a shame, but so be it. But even then you have tools at your disposal. Live devblog, surveys, do a questionaire in the development section on these forums (or rather, since they are no longer representative for the actual eve community start passing word there to reach third party developers).

Sorry guys, the roundtable at fanfest, it touched quite specifically and constructively on the very issues that were put on the table in this blog as the next "stone tablet".

Please, this is not some personal playground anymore. You have an enormous potential here. But stop getting in your own way each time.

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