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[Casiella]

I'd like to explore what motivates various classes of characters. Let's start with piracy - which I'll define here as "seeking non-consensual combat against other capsuleers".

Within EVE, piracy has long been one of the most popular professions. Independent of our characters' views, we know that it's a big pull for the game overall. For those who play "pirates", including "privateers", what motivates your characters? How do they resolve any moral dilemmas they might feel? Alternately, what motivations do you think could be explored further?

[Mizhara]

I'd like a re-definition of 'pirate'. Several of my characters are quite into non-consensual combat against other capsuleers, but I don't have a single pirate/privateer character.

[Matariki Rain]

I'd like a re-definition of 'pirate'. Several of my characters are quite into non-consensual combat against other capsuleers, but I don't have a single pirate/privateer character.

This. I've had the original post open thinking about replying to it about that: its assumptions do not match my experience.

[Kimochi Rendar]

Kimochi's piratical motivations stem primarily from narcissism I guess... Anyone who has met her face-to-face will probably attest to the fact that at least from outward appearances she is not an inherently bad person, but she has a kind of disconnect from humanity which she does not even recognize in herself. The fact is that she places very little value on human life save for the people she is closest to which kind of leads into Piracy at least for someone in her position. If you have no value for another person's life and well-being you will have little problem with taking their stuff by force.

She also hates CONCORD and she sees every 'innocent' life she takes when a ship is destroyed and the subsequent sec status drop as her own personal middle-finger to 'the man'.

[Seriphyn]

I'd be interested in hearing folks' response to this actually. For a long while, though I'm not too sure it still persists, becoming a 'pirate' was seen as the graduation from being a naive empire loyalist, but I like to think that Seriphyn's "cynical patriotism" that's been played out in places like the NEA and the Summit has shot down such preconceptions. In some ways, becoming a 'pirate' is analogous to joining al-Qaeda or any sort of revolutionary group due disillusionment. In this regard, Seriphyn sees such people as just as naive as those who blindly follow the empires. In his eyes, CONCORD is the only thing that stops capsuleers from completely wrecking the place.

"I'm joining the Guristas to strike back at the tyrannical State!" and "I'm joining the Federation Navy to protect freedom and liberty!" are statements that are identical. Both are naive and ignore the pitfalls of both factions.

Hm, massive digression there, but I like this sort of discussion. Seriphyn would never leave the Federation no matter how often he talks crap about it, because it's his home, Anette has a future career worked out there, and that joining a "third world faction" (in a manner of speaking) would be a step down.

[Aodha Khan]

I'd like a re-definition of 'pirate'. Several of my characters are quite into non-consensual combat against other capsuleers, but I don't have a single pirate/privateer character.

I'd have to agree with this. Pirating is non-consensual combat for the purpose of gaining loot/assets/power and ultimately ISK. Is that any different from empire faction based combat? Being known as a pirate is only a matter of perspective.

My motivations in being in "pirate" faction are that it makes for a lot more interesting gameplay and to work for that faction is so much harder as it's in 0.0 space. Being in an empire based faction makes things more limited as you have to "behave" yourself to a certain extent while working for that faction is easy street. I enjoy the challenge that being a Cartel loyalist poses.

[Valdezi]

I do a great deal of non-consensual combat, but I think the difference would be that the people I attack are designated persona non grata rather than just any dude in his hulk.

Fine distinction, but a distinction nonetheless.

[Zag]

I'd like to explore what motivates various classes of characters. Let's start with piracy - which I'll define here as "seeking non-consensual combat against other capsuleers".

I guess I'll answer for Zag in his current state.

His philosophy can probably best be summed nebulously as: "I am a capsuleer. I am a participant and primary motivator in a war economy regulated by the CONCORD Assembly in which human life is thrown into the fires of a capitalist machine which requires the continual and perpetual destruction of assets in order to maintain supply demand for war materiel and economic growth for the members of the CONCORD Assembly."

A cynical, bitter and jaded view of New Eden but then again Zag is a cynical, bitter and jaded kind of guy. For him, war is nothing more than a business model and violence is a commodity to be utilized for profit and power for whomever pays his wages and owns the corporation which he governs. He personally does not care for all the moral and ethical restraints others seem to shackle themselves in order to preserve their tenuous hold on their 'humanity'.

That doesn't mean he's not unwilling to play the whole Public Relations game for the benefit of his chosen benefactors and the disenfranchised and ignorant plebs of whatever nation he's currently operating in. As he did when he was doing private military work for the FDU and the Federation but it's not like he actually believes what he has to say in public statements when required.

End of the day for Zag? This is New Eden. Power is power is power and violence is the most effective means of achieving and maintaining it. He profits directly from providing that service to clients. If he has to shoot someone in the face to get the job done, it's nothing personal on his end. It's just business.

As for his view on pirates? They do much the same work, the only difference is that his violence is legalized and beneficial to vested corporate interests. They can even be useful in the games of backroom corporate knife-fighting.

[Raxipoo]

Raxip's motivation is very simple. He's a relatively high-functioning sociopath with something of a God complex, and a myriad of other issues.  The reason that he pirates is to prove his superiority over the rest of existence. To him, piracy is not about profit. It's literally about killing people, and in doing so marking the universe with his influence.

Of course, he would never ever admit this IC. To others, he says it's a combination of the money and destabilization of the empires.

[Verone]

That would be a HELL of a long post 

[Casiella]

To address earlier criticisms: I'm not suggesting that, in a wider sense, anyone label themselves as "pirates". I *am* suggesting that finding targets to destroy non-consensually might have certain commonalities in motivations with others engaged in similar (though not identical) behavior.

And in EVE, if you've lowered your security status past -5 (or even to, say, -3 and enter a 1.0 rated system), then you've consented to PVP.

None of that is to say that all "pirates" think or behave alike, but that there is more commonality between somebody hunting lowsec ratters and somebody wardeccing industrial corporations with opposing ideologies than with a simple industrialist.