Backstage - OOC Forums
EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => CCP Public Library => Topic started by: Myyona on 28 Mar 2012, 07:32
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CCP Dropbear is no longer with CCP (https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=1023266#post1023266). Guess moving to Iceland was not an interest of his. :(
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Damn. Let's hope the consequences of this won't become to dire.
...being positive about future predictions was never my strong point.
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:(
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Definitely going to miss having Dropbear around as a dev, but on the other hand, this means that if he has the time, he could come back to EVE as a player.
Also, CCP Goliath (@CCP_Goliath on Twitter) is one of the people picking up the mantle of Live Events, according to the forums - we should do what we can to help them make the transition easy and smooth. :)
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Well, that's no good. Ah well. Let's give the new team time to settle into Dropbear's previously running events. Hopefully the pace of things will pick up now that there's multiple people on the job.
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I read CCP Goliath's comments with some puzzlement, since at Fanfest I thought the message was that Abraxas and Gnauton are now "it", and content work will depend a lot on their time and priorities.
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Gnauton is still around?
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Unless there's now a CCP Norton...
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Gnauton is still around?
Yes. CCP Gnauton and CCP Abraxas (and one more guy I can't remember) are essentially the content team at present. CCP Goliath and CCP Affinity seem to be in charge of Live Events, with support from the content guys.
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Unless there's now a CCP Norton...
So many bad puns here.
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Had conversation with a dev, while both of us had been drinking.
Dev said "Aurora events, they were cool and we'd like them to come back"
Ulf said "but some people think that Aurora events only pretended to let players affect the story and were therefore fail"
Dev said "no, really apart from that one time, players could affect the story"
Ulf said "but if the players find out once that it was fake, they suspect all the other times as being fake too"
Dev said sadly "yeah..."
Make of that what you will.
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Had conversation with a dev, while both of us had been drinking.
Dev said "Aurora events, they were cool and we'd like them to come back"
Ulf said "but some people think that Aurora events only pretended to let players affect the story and were therefore fail"
Dev said "no, really apart from that one time, players could affect the story"
Ulf said "but if the players find out once that it was fake, they suspect all the other times as being fake too"
Dev said sadly "yeah..."
Make of that what you will.
Can we affect the outcome if a wiki article, chronicle, news item or a book comes out? I wouldn't really have an issue if CCP began to arrange scripted events. Manipulating the relatively predictable player response to get what they want, or being prepared for all the possible outcomes would of course be nicer than reliance on sheer force or overriding what happened in the game with out-of-game fiction.
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On another topic was someone on the Story-Setting-Delivery roundtable on fanfest?... was there some new infos? I just found this (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.eveger.de/forum/showthread.php%3Fp%3D773910&ei=caN0T4eeMtD3sgbL1KXHDQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CE0Q7gEwAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Story-Setting-Delivery%2522%2Beve%2Bonline%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26tbo%3D1%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D845%26tbs%3Dqdr:m%26prmd%3Dimvnsfd). :cry:
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On another topic was someone on the Story-Setting-Delivery roundtable on fanfest?... was there some new infos? I just found this (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.eveger.de/forum/showthread.php%3Fp%3D773910&ei=caN0T4eeMtD3sgbL1KXHDQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CE0Q7gEwAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Story-Setting-Delivery%2522%2Beve%2Bonline%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26tbo%3D1%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D845%26tbs%3Dqdr:m%26prmd%3Dimvnsfd). :cry:
I was there. I even now have the slides from it, although I'm waiting for confirmation that I can circulate them.
Could you be specific about which bit you're unhappy with?
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unhapppy with nothing.^^ Just seek for new infos... what will come.
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They've reviewed and refocused their approach to EVE's world-and-story (they said "IP", which initially confused me), and are pretty happy with the result of that.
They're (my summary) desperately understaffed, so will have to prioritise heavily.
The basic approach to delivery is what Torfi Frans has labelled the "gush": a gush of info at an expansion release, with trickles betweentimes.
And I liked this:
Vision: Core themes
•Primary theme: Progress and the human condition
–How do technology and immortality affect human nature?
•Secondary themes:
–Is morality subjective? Are there any moral absolutes?
–How do new tech and immortality affect ...
•Faith?
•Social order?
•Morality?
•Happiness?
They mentioned that some people might want to make one-to-one mappings between the last four bullets and the different EVE empires, but that that wasn't their intention. They seemed to be looking forward to cross-developing the themes.
For me, those themes were echoed in each of the three games discussed at Fanfest: EVE, DUST514 and World of Darkness. That's led to quite some discussions about whether they're "just" ICerizing aspects of gameplay (respawn), or whether there's something deeper to this preoccupation. It's stuff I find fascinating to explore in RP, but which I don't often get the chance to delve into.
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They've reviewed and refocused their approach to EVE's world-and-story (they said "IP", which initially confused me), and are pretty happy with the result of that.
They're (my summary) desperately understaffed, so will have to prioritise heavily.
The basic approach to delivery is what Torfi Frans has labelled the "gush": a gush of info at an expansion release, with trickles betweentimes.
And I liked this:
Vision: Core themes
•Primary theme: Progress and the human condition
–How do technology and immortality affect human nature?
•Secondary themes:
–Is morality subjective? Are there any moral absolutes?
–How do new tech and immortality affect ...
•Faith?
•Social order?
•Morality?
•Happiness?
They mentioned that some people might want to make one-to-one mappings between the last four bullets and the different EVE empires, but that that wasn't their intention. They seemed to be looking forward to cross-developing the themes.
For me, those themes were echoed in each of the three games discussed at Fanfest: EVE, DUST514 and World of Darkness. That's led to quite some discussions about whether they're "just" ICerizing aspects of gameplay (respawn), or whether there's something deeper to this preoccupation. It's stuff I find fascinating to explore in RP, but which I don't often get the chance to delve into.
First of all: Thanks for the fast answer.
•Primary theme: Progress and the human condition
–How do technology and immortality affect human nature?
Sound interesting... and we can add a fiction universe inside a fiction universe... a.k.a. transcranial microcontrollers. :lol: ... Maybe they have a vid.... if you have your slide-show up, please left a note here... I think It would be interesting for many others.
Fly save.
-PV
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Getting back to the original topic...
Given why Dropbear left I don't think it's fair to act like CCP threw him overboard. They certainly could have made things more easy for him to stay, but I don't think they aimed to force him out.
Naturally I'm still sad to see him go, as Dropbear was one of the people I felt cared for the feasibility and logic of the universe as well as the story.
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Dev said "no, really apart from that one time, players could affect the story"
Heh.
Noooo.
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Dev said "no, really apart from that one time, players could affect the story"
Heh.
Noooo.
I was thinking of you at the time Graelyn...
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Appreciated. ;)
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TBH I'd much rather have in-game events where we can't affect the outcome than either out-of-game commentaries that we can't affect or no story development at all.
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Cheers guys, it's always nice to be missed.
Just to confirm Esna's comments, I was definitely not thrown overboard. Truth be told, I needed a break because I wasn't giving things the effort I should've. I'd go into it, but hopefully it's enough just to say that the Arek'Jaalan project slid into lethargy almost entirely because of my own failings. While it's also true that certain things frustrated me at CCP, overwhelmingly I just needed the break.
Anyways, I've no idea if I'll be back, or even play EVE again. It's a bit hard for me to consider right now. Who knows though, right?
I wanted to come here and say that I feel, despite my absence (and the risk it puts the A'J event in) you guys are still in solid hands. Gnauton and Abraxas are two consistently solid dudes, and they have all my love and respect. Delegate Zero is basically a much smarter copy of me with all the bad bits removed, so he's even more solid than I, and once CCP lets him flex a bit more on the storyline (he actually works in webcell so it's a bit removed from him, technically, but he "gets" EVE and it's lore like few others do) I think he'll produce shit ten times cooler than I could imagine. Also, as I was on the way out, events were broadening in the company to include more people than just myself and Headfirst too, and I'm glad to see that wasn't just a flash in the pan and that other devs are actually stepping in, like Affinity and Co. (like 'Brax and Gnauton, she's also good people, so be nice to her :P).
Storyline-wise, all of us who gave a damn about it really felt that despite the layoffs and everything else we were actually positioned to do more than ever before, so take my leaving as a case of really fucked up timing, not as any kind of indicator. Most of the guys I worked closely with were like "Dude, you're leaving NOW?!". :P
Regarding AJ, maybe they won't go full retard like I did (and that's probably a good thing), but I think they'll put on a solid show all the same. And if they decide to leave A'J aside and start fresh, don't be mad at them. Place all the blame for any hanging threads and unresolved mysteries and any other A'J related problems on this burned out bear's head. I'm just sorry I couldn't wrap things up better. I honestly didn't have the heart to log in and say Tukoss' goodbyes, let alone carry the day-to-day like I should've been.
Anyways, I imagine to them the whole AJ thing is a burden they're not sure if they want to carry. They're in the shitty situation of being unable to say "Look, this was Dropbear's baby and it's all a bit fucking complex and in-depth and we don't know if he should even have started something like this in the first place."
Try to understand that situation, especially if they do decide to go with a clean slate. That's all I can ask. From where I sit, I left them with a big pile of responsibility, and they're the ones who'll take some of the heat if things fall through. I wouldn't want that for them, or events in general.
Oh, yeah, please feel free to pass this on to other A'J crew and whatnot. I know this forum only reaches a few of you.
Finally, I never really got to say this at the time I was leaving, but yeah, it was an honor to (role)play with you guys. Easily the hardest thing about leaving my job was stepping back from A'J, the forums, and just the EVE community in general. I still read these forums more than is good for me, so to avoid becoming further addicted I'll probably leave this post as my first and last but...yeah, you guys were always fucking epic and my main motivator to work harder, care more (and old CCP motto).
So much <3
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Thanks for all the work you put in Bear! It certainly was appreciated by large swaths of EVEians.
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Thanks for taking the time to get in touch, Dropbear, it's much appreciated. :cube:
Even if the new Events team decides that A'J needs to be dropped for the time being, there's still a solid bunch of us who are involved and keeping projects running (of course, I've been slow at updating the MLA, I should get on that while I have a quiet day at work...), and I believe there'll be at least one or two related presentations at the upcoming SeyCon.
Everyone comes back to EVE sooner or later, so I'm sure we'll be seeing you around on less dev-y faces sooner or later. :D
It was a blast to get involved and spend time working with you on the project, and I'm very glad I decided to go all-in with it when the opportunity presented itself. So here's a very heart-felt thank you from me. <3
I'll put a mail in to the mailing list in a few minutes poking them to check here, and in the thread that Antiquarian started on GD. Again, thanks for checking in, we missed you! :3
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Thankyou Mr. Dropbear :cube:
And sorry that I gave up on A'J so quickly after release >.>
Keep up the good work, wherever you go!
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Thanks for getting in touch, Dropbear -- good stuff.
Even though Kyber mostly ended up using A'J as a venue for trollplay, it was damn enjoyable trollplay, especially with you being a pretty fucking good RPer. :P Enjoy whatever it is that you go on to do, man. :3
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<3 :cube:
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Good luck Dropbear. Also, what should we say happened to Tukoss ICly?
Mysteriously vanished? Captured and turned into soylent green? :twisted:
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Just wanted to say what everyone else said and add my thanks Dropbear. Good luck.
... maybe they won't go full retard ...
And thanks for the entirely politically incorrect Tropic Thunder reference too - even if it wasn't intended :lol:
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Hey Dropbear,
Thanks for what you did for A'J... and us there.
I had to take some distance from EVE myself shortly before Site One was built, but was very moved to see it in place, when I returned.
I wish you all the best for the future, it was really one of the projects in EVE I enjoyed and I hope it will be continued. Or something similar will pop up.
Thanks again!
Aidan aka Chris
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...huh. Was not expecting that, but as has been said the effort to get in contact is greatly appreciated.
Anyhow, hope things go well with you now. I certainly understant the burnout thing, especially in such a high-profile, high-pressure position as the Live Events put you in.
But - be well, and enjoy yourself! :cube:
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First of all: Thx for all the work Dropbear and all other CCP guys on the project.
Im happy to hear that the project is going on, even If I havent any work in it. It is nice to see and read the work/stuff from the project.
And like I already said, the real work will come later, when we have to interpret all the content. (https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=536137#post536137) :P
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Just putting in my well wishes to Dropbear, hope you land on your feet.
Though I now have a weird mental image of a bear in paratrooper kit.
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Just putting in my well wishes to Dropbear, hope you land on your feet.
Though I now have a weird mental image of a bear in paratrooper kit.
Well duuh, he's the DropBear (TM) after all ;)
Good luck with what comes next DB, and thanks for all your effort! If your prediction comes true and EVE keeps developing as it seems to do maybe it will be time for me and some others to scale down the bitter-vet and convert to active-vet again 8)
Thanks for getting in touch, too.
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The realist in me thinks that the A'J stuff will be 'addressed' in the usual CCP Lore way: Never being mentioned again by anyone ever.
However, I sincerely hope your optimism is correct, and I hope that the old team (and the new D-Zero) understand that everyone here is rooting for their success and will do anything we can to ensure that they achieve it.
You were the keeper of the hidden flame in what has been The Great Dark Age of lore in EVE. I hope wherever you go, you find happiness.
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Godspeed, heroic cryptid! Though I never got to play in your corner of the box, I did enjoy watching it.
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Sorry to see you go Dropbear. I hope you come back round again, even if only as a player, because I think you truly add something to the game and the community.
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Sorry to see you go Dropbear. I hope you come back round again, even if only as a player, because I think you truly add something to the game and the community.
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Sorry to see you go Dropbear. I hope you come back round again, even if only as a player, because I think you truly add something to the game and the community.
This. There is loads of room to do things as a player, both returning to old characters, or something new. Heck, you can be sneaky and just tell nobody and enjoy being 'normal'.
As for going full retard, I don't see it. Unless you mean letting it slide, but honestly, such things happen and there's no need to feel bad about it. Would I have loved to see things carry on? Well sure. But sometimes, life doesn't allow for that. Don't feel to bad about it. I do hope the rest of the team will carry on your work, but if not, I totally get that. It can be pretty intimidating. However, if this does not get carried on, then I hope we'll see other live events of this, or smaller, scale.
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Thank you a lot for all. It is hard to express how meaningful it can be to see that one's own little corner in eve is not forgotten and more, under good care.
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You were the keeper of the hidden flame in what has been The Great Dark Age of lore in EVE. I hope wherever you go, you find happiness.
Out of touch and all, but this has been my impression too over the last few years. Hope you find something decent to get your teeth into in the future.
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Hi Dropbear.
Just got back from Iceland* and saw that you had made a small post here. I really appreciate what you were trying to do with A'J and can for certain say it has been my major interest point in EVE for the last year or so. While you probably put a few more hours into it than me I can for certain say that I spend A LOT of time collecting data and writing my various articles but it was worth it. The construction of Site One spiked a new interest and a multitude of new contributions was made after by me as well as others.
I fully understand the hurdles of the people taking over the project and I do not hold my expectations high. It is, after all, much easier to start your own thing and feel passionate about it than taking it over from somebody else. Especially something like A'J that is rather resource demanding and do not easily draw in the activity of many players. I already wrote a longer piece on that issue here (https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=1026503#post1026503).
I actually ended getting burned out from all the fictional science writing and the release of Templar One and the Fiction Portal did not encourage more writing either (the former by explaining tonnes of the stuff we had been theorizing about while making certain there is no way to know in-character and the latter by taking the in-character evelopedia sources I had used for my articles and either remove the content or mix it with out-of-character information and not enable a separation of those).
But I have now had a break doing other stuff and might be tempted to get back on the ride. Still, I have to see some interest from CCP before bothering with *effort* from my part again.
*: Yes, I went to Iceland one week after Fanfest. I wanted to see the country, not because of EVE.