James Egan

James has been wandering the earth and lost in Asia for some time now. But somewhere along the way, he re-discovered his love for gaming. His home is wherever his laptop is and- more often than not- it’s running iTunes and EVE Online. He is a huge fan of comics, animation, and all things sci-fi. In those respects, he’s not so different from how he was at age 14... and he's quite proud of that. He can be reached at james AT massively DOT com.

Articles by James Egan

EVEMail system reworked for Dominion expansion
While it's the major features coming in EVE Online's next expansion, Dominion, that have caught people's attention -- namely the sov changes -- there are a number of smaller things CCP is baking into the release. The developers are also addressing some long-standing issues that have been in need of a solution. The existing in-game mail system is, quite frankly, painful to use if you need to sift through and manage a decent volume of messages in a given session. Fortunately this is about to change. Dominion will roll out with a new EVEMail system, and here are a few highlights of what will arrive this Tuesday:
Black Prophecy dev diary gives peek at game's physics
Now that the sci-fi MMO Black Prophecy is free to keep moving forward, the game's developer Reakktor Media is revealing more about the title. Recent dev diaries focused on Black Prophecy's art direction but now Technical Director Cyrus Preuss is kicking off a short series on the game's physics. The physics in any game can be important, perhaps moreso in a space-based MMO where players can move about in any direction and potentially interact (and collide) with many other ships in a single area. Cyrus boils a complex subject down to some easily understood explanations of how game physics work in the first installment, and will explore more on the topic in the coming weeks. He writes, "But you don't need to be afraid that I will confront you with highly complex equations or formulas. With this diary I also want to provide a look behind the scenes to those who didn't take the advanced physics or mathematics courses in school." Fans of Black Prophecy or those curious about the underlying game physics in an MMO can follow along with Cyrus' dev diary on the official game site.
The rewards of faction loyalty in Earthrise
The latest Earthrise Question of the Week is all about quests in the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO. "Central to the PvE experience, quests in Earthrise are designed to help introduce the players to the tense cultural and political scene that shapes the two conflicting factions fighting for control over the island of Enterra," explains Moll, the game's Community Manager. There are faction-specific quests unique to either Continoma or Noir, but Earthrise's game mechanics will let players defect to a rival faction to experience another walk of life on Enterra island. Switching allegiances will not be a trivial matter, however, and the consequences a player assumes for doing so will limit how often most characters defect.
Contest lets EVE Online players get their name in print in E-ON magazine
While Massively's own EVE Online contest is off to a great start this week, we also want to point out something of interest happening on our friend CrazyKinux's site. Have you ever wanted to see your name in print in E-ON, the official EVE Online magazine? Well now is your chance. CrazyKinux is running a contest where EVE players can make their predictions about how the game will change in 2010 or what will happen in New Eden in the next year. If your prediction lands in the top 10 entries, your submission will make it into print in E-ON magazine in January -- plus you'll also receive a free contributor copy of that issue. The contest is called "The Oracle of EVE" and will run through November 30th. It'll be judged by CrazyKinux and E-ON editor Richie Shoemaker (aka Zapatero). Check out the announcement post over at CrazyKinux's Musing which explains in greater detail how you can take part. Obviously they're looking for submissions that are well-written and entertaining, but also concise. Entering is quite simple -- just write your 2010 prediction on your own blog and link to it in the comments below "The Oracle of EVE" announcement post. Good luck to any Massively readers that decide to take a shot at this.
Star Trek Online VFX Lead on updating visual style of the IP
IGN recently posted a Star Trek Online dev diary written by the game's VFX Lead Michael Cavallaro. "Creating the visual style of Star Trek Online was no easy task," said Cavallaro. "You might think that everything we would be creating has already been done, but not only are references several years old but they vary across the board." If you factor in how the effects changed between the various series and movies, you can see how preserving the look of Star Trek as viewers know it posed a challenge for the Cryptic Studios devs. The idea, Cavallaro related, was for the Cryptic devs to draw upon elements from the original Star Trek series and update that now-retro 60's sci-fi look for a contemporary audience. The trick was to do so while keeping said elements recognizable from the original IP.
Final SWTOR classes revealed: Jedi Consular and Sith Inquisitor
Fans of BioWare's much-anticipated MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic received some good news today with a reveal of the game's final two classes: the Jedi Consular and the Sith Inquisitor. The Jedi Consular is a support class specialized in healing, but with ranged offensive capabilities as well. The Sith Inquisitor, not surprisingly, is primarily a damage dealer. It seems the first word of the Jedi Consular and Sith Inquisitor classes came from a fan translation at Star Wars MMO.net of the German magazine "PC Games". The classes were confirmed earlier today by SWTOR Community Manager Sean Dahlberg who wrote: "Fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic will be in for a treat this week! Several magazines in North America and Europe will have articles that not only talk about The Old Republic but also reveal our final two classes: the Jedi Consular and the Sith Inquisitor!"
Masthead Studios CEO updates on Earthrise progress
Earthrise fans will still have a bit of a wait ahead of them in terms of getting into open beta, but development and improvements are ongoing through the current closed beta. Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov was recently interviewed by MMORPG.com's Garrett Fuller, updating Earthrise fans on the game's current status and details of some of the game mechanics of skills and tactics. Noteworthy -- Atanasov discusses why Masthead Studios chose to develop a sandbox MMO and foster a player-driven setting, rather than a more typical game where players move quickly through the content and then wait for the next expansion to release. "The sense of involvement and power to create and change can invigorate and keep players glued to the game for years to come," says Atanasov. On that topic of sandboxes, the interview also discusses how MMO titles like Ultima Online and EVE Online have been part of the inspiration for Earthrise.
EVE Morning Report provides news-style daily snapshot of game's economy
EVE Online is a game that can be different things to different people. While some players are intent on the destruction of their fellow capsuleers, others prefer to focus on other aspects of the game like trading and mass production. After all, EVE's setting of New Eden is one largely dominated by megacorporations. For those involved in the complexities of the game's economic side, having frequent snapshots of New Eden's virtual economy would be a boon. The game's would-be tycoons now have this, thanks to EVE Online player Utemetsu and the EVE Morning Report -- short, 5-minute audio recordings released daily that convey information about major commodities traded on the open market in New Eden. EVE Morning Report with Erik Mumm is presented in the style of NPR or the Marketplace Morning Report. It also provides players with the graphed price history of major commodities, captured from the in-game tools. The sponsors of the EVE Morning Report are other players whose various services are mentioned each day in exchange for their patronage. Although Utemetsu's program has only been running for a few days, EVE Morning Report is already expanding to include interviews with New Eden's marketeers. Individual EVE players, corporations, or alliances interested in sponsoring EVE Morning Report can contact Erik (Utemetsu) via email or let him know in the program's thread on the official EVE forums.
CCP EVE Online PLEX Contest official rules
CCP EVE Online PLEX Contest Official Rules No Purchase Required to Enter or Win 1. Eligibility: The CCP EVE Online PLEX Contest (the "Contest") is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia) and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of AOL LLC, its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Contest, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Contest (collectively "Contest Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All federal, provincial, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec, Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. 2. Sponsor: The Contest is sponsored by Weblogs, Inc. LLC, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). 3. Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. Entry Period: The Contest will include two (2) separate Entry Periods. Entry Period 1 begins at 9:00 am ET on November 23, 2009 and ends at 9:00 am ET on November 30, 2009. Entry Period 2 begins at 9:00 am ET on November 30, 2009 and ends at 9:00 am ET on December 7, 2009. 5. Entry: To enter the Contest, go to massively.joystiq.com/tag/ccp-plex-contest and follow the directions to submit your entry. For Entry Period 1, you must answer the following question: With EVE's new focus on developing infrastructure in 0.0 space in the Dominion expansion and beyond, how will the changes to Sovereignty impact your corporation or alliance? For Entry Period 2, you must answer the following question: How will the "New Eden" social network for EVE affect your playstyle? Will the ability to handle tasks when you're unable to log in change the game experience for you? Answers must be no longer than 200 words and be in English. 6. Judging: At the conclusion of each Entry Period, a panel of judges (the "Judges") will select two (2) potential winners based on the following criteria (the "Judging Criteria"): 50% creativity and 50% presentation. The two (2) entrants with the highest scores from each Entry Period will be deemed the potential Grand Prize Winners. The two (2) entrants with the next highest scores from each Entry Period will be deemed the potential First Prize Winners. In the event of a tie, the submissions involved in the tie will be reviewed by an additional judge according to the Judging Criteria. Decisions of judges in are final. 7. Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, a potential winner may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. If the winner is deemed a minor in his/her state of residence, the prize will be awarded to the winner's parent/legal guardian who will be required to complete all required paperwork on behalf of the winner. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. 8. Prizes: Two (2) Grand Prize Winners (one from each Entry Period) will each receive 15 PLEX (Approximate Retail Value "ARV": $262). Two (2) First Prize Winners (one from each Entry Period) will each receive 10 PLEX (ARV: $175). No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. 9. General Conditions: Sponsor shall have the right to disqualify any entries that it deems to be obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, lewd, derogatory, inappropriate, or otherwise not in good taste, as determined by the Sponsor in its discretion. Submissions must be 100% your original work, and must not contain any third party material or content (including but not limited to any other copyrighted or trademarked content) for which you have not been granted specific written permission for this use by the copyright or trademark rights holder. You grant to the Sponsor and its designees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, edit, market, store, distribute, have distributed, publicly and privately display, communicate, publicly and privately perform, transmit, have transmitted, create derivative works based upon, and promote your comments, (collectively, the "Submission") in connection with the Contest and such other products or services as the Sponsor may designate in any medium now known or hereafter devised for editorial, commercial, promotional and/or any other purpose. In addition, the Sponsor shall have the right to reproduce and distribute your Submission for promotional purposes in broadcast, print and or other media as the Sponsor may determine in their sole discretion. You retain ownership of all right, title, and interest in and to your Submission. You agree that the Sponsor owns all right, title, and interest in any compilation, collective work, or other derivative work created by the Sponsor using or incorporating your Submission. You hereby grant to the Sponsor the right to edit any of your Submission, in whole or in part. In addition, you hereby grant to the Sponsor and their designees the right to use any edited Submission, or parts of a Submission, without your approval and waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Submission prior to or following publication and any right to compensation for the Submission. By submitting your Submission, you agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of your Submission or your participation in any phase of this Contest. You also agree to release AOL LLC and the Sponsor against any claim or cause of action that may arise. In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 10. Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Contest Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Contest or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Contest Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the Contest Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 11. Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 12. Contest Results: To request the name of the Weekly Winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Massively PLEX Winners List, 22070 Broderick Dr, 12E:D01, Dulles, VA 20166. Requests must be received by December 15, 2009.
Massively's EVE Online PLEX contest: "Enemy at the Gate"
We let you know earlier this week that Massively is running a contest where you can win up to 15 months of EVE Online game time! We're kicking this off today, and the contest will run over two weeks leading up to the Dominion expansion launch. This week's contest is called "Enemy at the Gate," so-named for the major changes coming to EVE Online and its Sovereignty game mechanics, where stargates will be at the center of conflicts between alliances. This will essentially be a writing contest, where we pose a question to you about the Dominion expansion. Your entry (limited to 200 words or less, details below) will be judged by the Massively staff on the merits of creativity and presentation. You'll have one full week to enter, by answering our question in the comments below this post. Two prizes will be awarded. The grand prize will be 15 Pilot License Extensions (PLEX), which is 15 months of EVE game time. First prize will be 10 PLEX, so 10 months of EVE game time. Got all that? Great. So here we go -- to enter Massively's PLEX contest, answer this question in the comments below, limiting your response to 200 words or less: With EVE's new focus on developing infrastructure in 0.0 space in the Dominion expansion and beyond, how will the changes to Sovereignty impact your corporation or alliance?
Massively to hold EVE Online contest this week, win copious amounts of game time
In the time our columnist Brendan Drain and I have spent covering EVE Online for Massively, it's grown into one of the site's most popular game categories. With that in mind, we've decided to run a contest that's really a thank you to our readers who've been following along with our EVE coverage. CCP Games was kind enough to provide Massively's readers with 50 Pilot License Extensions (PLEX) as contest prizes which we'll give away over the next two weeks. As most every EVE Online player knows, one PLEX = one month of game time, but is also a virtual item that can be bought and sold on the market in-game. Massively's EVE Online PLEX contest will actually give our readers two chances at winning -- once this week, and once next week, too. The first thing we must note is this contest will only be open to North American residents (U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec). Sorry to our other readers abroad, but it's a legal thing. For everyone else who is eligible to enter, read on for more info:
CCP Games alters plans for EVE's capital ships in Dominion expansion
The EVE Online developers have announced that some of their proposed changes to capital ships will not deploy with the Dominion expansion as originally planned. This may come as good news to some of EVE's supercarrier (formerly "mothership") pilots who've expressed no small amount of dissatisfaction at how their ships were slated to be changed. With the supercarrier changes not going through, this also means that the fighter bombers -- anti-capital ship drones intended to bathe EVE's largest ships in waves of torpedo explosions -- will not arrive on December 1 with Dominion. Changes to other capital ship weapons systems like XL Turrets, however, are another matter entirely. They're discussed at length in a dev blog from CCP Nozh titled "Capital Ships in Dominion" as are the new Citadel Cruise Missile Launchers intended to be a long range weapon system.
The challenges and rewards of espionage in EVE Online
Goonswarm spymaster The Mittani took a different approach with his latest EVE Online column at Ten Ton Hammer, and conducted an interview with a corporate saboteur titled "The Most Dangerous Agent". While it should be stated that most players in EVE do not engage in espionage, it's a career path of sorts that any player could potentially engage in, provided they have the combination of intelligence, social skills, and dedication needed to succeed. It's that aspect of dedication which often goes unmentioned -- the challenge of maintaining long-term duplicity. The Mittani's interview with a player anonymously referred to as "Darwin's Accelerator" explains how a player with destructive aims greater than simply engaging a few enemy ships at a time can use intel to devastating effect, wiping out entire fleets. Maintaining a persona that fits in with the target organization and thus won't arouse suspicion, however, can be difficult if the infiltrator genuinely dislikes the members that comprise the corporation or alliance.
Karos Online enters open beta Dec 4th
Karos Online publisher NHN Corporation has announced that open beta for the fantasy MMO will kick off on Friday, December 4th. The official site's link for CBT sign-ups is still active, so this may be worth a shot. Those gamers already in the Karos Online closed beta will have some things to look forward to in the final CBT event running from November 27th - 28th. Characters will be given gear and items for high-level play with rapid experience gain. NHN says players will reach a level cap of 44 "almost immediately". There will also be new monsters, weapons, and Holy Creatures to tear into. In addition, players in the CBT will be able to reserve their character names for when Karos Online's open beta doors swing wide to the masses. The English version of Karos Online is scheduled to launch in Q4 2009, with German and Turkish versions to follow in 2010.
Code of Everand browser MMO teaches kids about traffic safety
The United Kingdom's Department for Transport has launched a free browser MMO, Code of Everand, that teaches traffic safety to children. It does so through a fantasy theme with direct parallels to real world dangers -- streets are Spirit Channels, glowing energy streams populated with many dangerous beasts. The Spirit Channels crisscross the map of Everand and make travel perilous. That's where the players come in as Pathfinders, explorers trained in the techniques that allow for safe passage across the Spirit Channels. Pathfinders learn important safety lessons along the way in their journey to discover the secrets of Everand. Code of Everand was developed for the UK Department for Transport by NYC-based firm Area/Code over the course of two years, reports Game Set Watch. Area/Code has a long track record of creating cross-media games for advertising and media firms, television networks, and even major consumer brands. According to Area/Code's site, they've taken innovative approaches to games in the past -- "online games that respond to broadcast TV in real time, simulated characters and virtual worlds that occupy real-world geography" and "game events driven by real-world data". Interesting concepts. If you like the idea of games used as an effective educational tool, you can see the animated trailer for Code of Everand after the jump.
CCP Games drops more details on EVE's new mission arcs for pirate factions
We recently wrote a bit about the new PvE content coming to EVE Online in the Dominion expansion -- Epic Mission Arcs for the Angel Cartel and Guristas pirate factions where your speed will help you survive. Now CCP Games has dropped more info on these branching pirate missions; the Guristas arc is called "Smash and Grab" while the Angel Cartel arc is "Angel Sound". A dev blog written by CCP Jasonitas walks readers through the standings requirements -- if your Angel Cartel standings are horrible but you have decent standings with either the Minmatar or Amarr, you can still run the Angel arc. Likewise with the Guristas, your Caldari or Gallente faction standings will let you embark on the Guristas pirate arc. In some respects, these arcs will open up pirate faction mission running for many players, given that completion of an arc will impart a 30% standings gain towards that faction. Players have long wanted a way to repair their negative standings towards New Eden's pirate factions and this seems to be the first step towards that. Still, that standings gain won't benefit players who are particularly loathed by a given pirate faction unless the arcs can be repeated some months down the line as with standard Epic Mission Arcs.
Motorbikes, alchemy, and demon friend quests now in Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine
Demon Busters in Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online are now enjoying a fresh content update, which includes motorbikes courtesy of the Shinjuku Babel mechanics. This new mode of transportation in the game allows players to travel between zones quickly and in first person perspective. Atlus has also introduced alchemy, a crafting system where players can create new objects with unusual properties. Runes that boost abilities for your demons or potions that augment your own abilities are a few possibilities with the new item mixing system. They've also released more PvE content in the form of demon friend quests, provided your friendships with the infernal powers-that-be are at the appropriate levels. Perhaps the biggest content addition to Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online is the Team Battle system. The title's publisher Aeria Games writes: "Gather your allies and friends to crush your enemies in fast-paced, high intenseity group versus group combat for glory and god-like gear. Choose to fight solo in sided matches against other solo players, or combine your strength with others to demolish the competition in team versus team battle."
Stargate Worlds: We're still kicking, the pics prove it
It's been a long, difficult road for Stargate Worlds -- a game that has been mired in financial woes for quite some time. Now and again we do get to report some positive news about the sci-fi MMO, but it's clear that Stargate Worlds isn't out of the woods quite yet. Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment recently made an announcement to the game's fan community, thanking them for their support through tough times. CME stated, "We know you expect nothing less than the AAA content in Stargate Worlds our development team is working hard to give you along with some additional exciting news we will be revealing very soon! We want to thank everyone for their continued support and passion for Stargate Worlds and we can't wait to show you more of what we've been cooking up over here." As to what they've been working on, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment released some new screenshots of the armor and weapons for the Goa'uld, Jaffa, Soldier, and Scientist classes. CME explains, "Each of these armor sets will have unique traits that make them ideal for certain situations. As players become familiar with each world and the various environments they will encounter, they will discover which sets of armor best suit their play." The most recent Stargate Worlds images can be seen at the top of the gallery on the SGW Community Site.%Gallery-18792%
APB video podcast introduces the criminals of San Paro
All Points Bulletin is definitely on the radar for a number of fans of urban crime games seeking a deeper multiplayer environment. While many of us would enjoy a perpetual cascade of felonies (or arrests), Realtime Worlds wants players to have a sense of San Paro as a fleshed out urban setting where they can create their own stories. Realtime Worlds Lead Creative Designer Stephen Hewitt (aka 'KitKat') discusses the stories that will run throughout All Points Bulletin in the latest video podcast and introduces viewers to the criminal organizations players will tangle with at some point. We get a look at the G-Kings gang, who are essentially punks clawing their way up the criminal hierarchy of San Paro. Hewitt also gives us a glimpse at the Blood Roses, an organization comprised of trust fund club kids dipping their toes into a life of crime just for the thrills. Stick with us after the jump for the latest All Points Bulletin video podcast, The Organizations of San Paro.
EVE's CSM elections begin, site matches your views with those of candidates
Massively recently pointed out that the candidates have been announced for EVE Online's fourth Council of Stellar Management (CSM) -- the player-elected body that represents subscriber interests as the game is developed. (Also, if you missed it the first time around, you can listen to the recordings of CSM debates hosted by the Planet Risk radio show.)There are a number of candidates in the running this election: 49 at last count. These prospective CSM delegates have put forth some wildly differing views on how EVE Online should evolve and there's a fair amount of info to sift through on the forums and the individual sites that candidates maintain. Not that this is really a substitute for actually, y'know, reading up on who you're voting for, but there's now a site that can help you zero in on the candidates who share your views on the game. Vote Match will match your views on issues as a player with the election platforms the various CSM candidates are running on. The site was coded by the current CSM Chairman Dierdra Vaal and is definitely worth a look for EVE Online players trying to decide on which candidate to back.

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