If There’s Something Wrong Those Who Have The Ability To Take Action Have The Responsibility To Take Action

It seems I have caused quite a stir over the past twenty four hours.  My words have caused a ripple in the water that has lead the Mittani and various other leaders in the CFC to take note and respond in various ways.  Mostly their words were an attempt to make mine seem foolish and trivial at best.  Mockery is the response of those in power who experience fear.  And they should be afraid.  A united New Eden is a force none of them should wish to face.

But let me be clear . . .

I am not calling for an “End of Days” destruction of CFC, N3/PL or HERO.  They have a right to sovereign space the same as the rest of us and I am of the opinion that SOV NULL would suffer greatly from their absence.  I’m saying that for the sake of bringing life back into SOV NULL that “the TRINITY BLOC” needs to be shattered in such a way that anyone who wants too can pick up a piece and claim it for themselves.

The limited conversations I have had over the course of the past day has made it abundantly clear that if we wish to see a change in the stagnation that is currently choking the life out of SOV NULL , then we have no choice but to take it upon ourselves to affect that change.  I asked a very serious question in response to SION KUMITOMO’s tweet this morning where he identified the number of systems owned by the CFC and N3/PL.  I simply asked for the number of systems they *need* – an honest and real number.  What was his response to my query?

SION KUMITOMO: “All of them.”

Take what you will from that statement.  Is Sion hinting to the fact that the CFC is intending to break the BOTLRD Accords?  Do they plan on taking the systems currently belonging to N3/PL?  The only person who can answer for the intent of the response is Sion and I invite him to do so.  I would like to know just what would satisfy their intentions and what, if anything, would remain for the rest of New Eden.

That type of mindset exhibited by Sion is exactly why we must rise up together and claim what they have taken if we want to see a thriving and diverse SOV NULL space in the future.  The tyrannical grip they have on the systems is not something they are going to let go of voluntarily.  And yes it is “tyrannical” because the TRINITY BLOC are exercising their power in an arbitrary way and as we all know have no issue with being cruel when the mood suits them.

I have no delusions that this is a war that everyone in New Eden desires.  Should we pursue a war over SOV NULL the battles will be heavily lopsided against those of us seeking to break the TRINITY BLOC’s grasp.  The losses in the beginning and over the course of the war would be monumental.  They would break our fleets, cut off our supply routes and camp every system leading to their promised land as any of us would do if our homeland was threatened – and they would be right to do so.  However, their intentions behind why they are fighting to keep it would not be.

The intent and purpose of a war for a diversified SOV NULL carries with it inherent nobility that is at the heart of every citizen of New Eden.  That is the freedom and ability for everyone to choose their own destiny, to write their own story and to not be denied that freedom by those who care for nothing but their own greed and thirst for power.  Ships will be destroyed, battles will be lost and the lines of defense will be broken.  But no matter the toll they will never break our resolve or blur our vision of a diverse and thriving SOV NULL.  That is a cause worthy of fighting for.

The CFC, N3/PL and HERO are content to leave SOV NULL stagnant and serving their revenue streams.  It is beneficial to them that the stagnation continues so that there is not a shift in power.  Their ability to maintain power in SOV NULL gives them the ability to write the history of New Eden and dictate what they feel we can and cannot have.  For far too long they have been telling us what is ours to have and more importantly what is not; lest we pay the price.  In the end those who win the wars write the history – and for now they have won the war.  They are writing our history.

Winston Churchill said – “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”

What will your history be and who will you allow to write it?

–Taz

It All Started With A Tweet

Maybe that’s how all good stories start these days.  With just a simple Tweet asking a simple question and then it spins and grows into a swirling ball of I don’t even know anymore.  But it started a discussion that I want to keep going and at its core is a very simple topic that many before me have said and I’m sure many who will follow will echo it as well – and it is this.

EVE is a game where the actions of those who choose to login and participate drive the content, the stories and the Universe.  It is a beautifully unscripted place where you can be or do anything you want and become part of the history.

That is the beauty and draw of EVE for me.  That I can participate and create content in a game that has the potential to change it’s future and drive even more content to be created.  Now I’ve said this before and I’ll say it here again.  I’m new to this game.  Just over six months total of playing so my knowledge of the game’s mechanics, history, pacts, accords and agreements is limited.  However, I am constantly reading and learning all I can because EVE is simply that interesting and I have a lot of years of conflict to catch up on.

Lately it seems that I can’t read an EVE news site or blog that doesn’t talk about SOV space, NULL Sec and how due to “game mechanics” from Dominion that new or small groups of players have no chance to own their own space.  It’s no secret that The CFC owns just shy of half the systems in game with N3/PL owning the majority.  This isn’t news to anyone.  Many people have their versions as to what will “fix” the issue if only CCP would step up and do something about it.  I won’t link the articles here because you can see plenty of them from the flurry of Tweets I received earlier today.

I did, however, link the article from the TMC that I happened upon today that outlines the conditions of  the BOTLRD Accord and where the amended something called OTEC  to the picture of my Tweet above.  Feel free to read up on it yourself.  But I’ll ask again – does it seem ridiculous to anyone else?

I’ll give them credit – the agreement benefits them substantially and is likely something any of us in their shoes would have done in one manner or another as well.  But if I stop and take a different approach to this and think this through it goes something like this in my mind.

“They own the systems.  Game mechanics are what they are and have been this way since Dominion dropped in 2009 and evidently haven’t changed in 4.5 years.  It took CCP this long to make changes to Industry so likely this mechanic isn’t changing anytime soon.  What can be done?  They own the systems.  But EVE is more than just the CFC and N3/PL.  At last count there were over 500,000 registered players/accounts.  According to this combined they total roughly 55,500  member accounts.  What if the remaining 444,500 members suddenly showed up at their respective doorsteps and said ‘yeah, we’re gonna take a few of these back‘ – how could they stop them?  Even if you estimated that most players have multiple accounts and say on average every real person has 4 accounts that means there are 125,000 real people playing.   Adjust their numbers accordingly and now we are talking roughly 13,875 real people in the CFC and N3/PL.  By that estimate the remaining population of EVE outnumbers the CFC and N3/PL by a number of 8-to-1!  It is possible to change the maps . . . . maybe not likely, but it IS POSSIBLE!”

I know what you are going to say.  Not everyone cares to take on the CFC or N3/PL for space.  Many people are content doing exactly what they are currently and have no desire for more.  I’m happy for them and wish them many years of contentment.  But for those who are upset about the current state of NULL Sec, o.o space, SOV space – whatever label you attach to it – I disagree with only pointing the finger at CCP and their game mechanics as to what is preventing change.  As I said in another Tweet earlier today – we can’t continue to blame CCP when as players we do nothing against agreements like what CFC & PL have made on their own.  Rixx Javix continued the sentiment by saying where are the players who want to tear it all down and build something new?  Everything that is now, all of it, came about because of a few people tearing down the old.

Isn’t that exactly what The Mittani himself did when he and his allies broke Band of Brothers and literally changed the map overnight?

It is and always has been the responsibility of the players to effect change and create content for EVE.  It’s a sandbox environment.  CCP provided the tools and the vast universe for us to play in.  WE drive the story.  WE create the conflicts.  WE create the history of this unique experience we so casually call “a game”.  The CFC & N3/PL live in and participate in the same universe under the same rules and mechanics we all do and they have found a way to use them to their advantage and thus dictate our story in NULL Sec up until now.  But we all have the innate power within each of our virtual representations of ourselves to affect change should we choose to do so.

The real question is – will you accept the challenge and be bold enough to write your own story?

I can’t help but hear Robin Williams from The Dead Poets Society saying – “To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer: that you are here; that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse;

that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.

What will your verse be?”

 

–Taz