CSM XI Candidates, Part 5 (Final)

We come to the last of these wrap-ups of CSM candidates - delayed more than I'd like because RL has been kicking my butt.  Anyway, I think it's reasonable to have a slight bias against candidates who are just showing up now.  While there are are possible reasons to be this late to the interview game, it does make it sound either like you didn't really care but decided to do it at the last minute or you were disorganized enough that you only just got around to the interview.  And if the candidates are like me and have RL slowing them down so much they can't do an interview, then maybe they should reconsider how much time they'll have to be a CSM.  So I went in not expecting much from this final batch.  In at least one case, I was happily surprised to be wrong.

(Note: the links for previous posts have been updated to point to the analysis shows that have now come out)

Top Notch Candidate

CapriSunKraftFoods (forum) (interview) (analysis show)
Not just a reddit shitposter - that's pretty much all I was looking for in this interview.  Instead I found someone thoughtful and realistic about the role of the CSM.  One quote I particularly liked: "If you have an idea you should write it down, read it over, and have other people read it." This is the heart of a design review process used by people who want to get something right.  Not off the cuff "hey I'll tell you what I think", but considered thought.  He has a realistic view of the CSM as a persistent and broad-reaching focus group.  I don't know if I'm thrilled about his stated opinions on how nullsov should work (leaning away from small gangs and back to massive fleets), but I don't play in nullsov and he has a straightforward on the ground experience that sounds very realistic and not driven by a meta-agenda.  I also like his bias for CSMs being people who actually log into the game and play (the unspoken comparison being those who only metagame).

Interesting Candidates

Xavier Azabu (forum) (interview) (analysis show)
Xavier is stepping in as a small gang pvp-focused player stretching from null to low sec.  Unfortunately that's a crowded space this time around, with people from Gorski Car, Apothne, and Mr. Hyde in the running.  So does he have the ability to stand out compared to them and communicate strongly amongst the kind of people who are going to be in the CSM next term?  Being a representative from the Far East timezone is is nice touch, and for that constituency I could see them wanting a home-time representative.  I liked hearing his tale of what it was like to be in Pizza when AegisSov rolled out, but it didn't come across as telling me what he'd contribute.  I don't quite seem him rising to the top this time, but he also sounds like the kind of reasonable voice I'd love to hear build a presence towards future elections.

RF Gnaeus Crassus  (forum) (interview) (analysis show)
We're used to seeing candidates from many different alliances, but I must say I wasn't expecting somone from Red Frog.  As someone who has done some contracting and trading I certainly can see the need for improvement there.  It's just hard to see a CSM with such a tight specialization.  I had passed on some feedback when Sugar Kyle had asked about the topic, and if any active CSM picked up her book full of player feedback they could probably push it along (Steve, please?).  He had a great quote arguing for why space trucking AFK and non-AFK is much the same: "If I'm at the keyboard, I just get to see how my ship gets shot."  If CCP was to start a focus group on industry and trading then I'd love to see this guy at the top of the list - I just am having trouble seeing him as a CSM with a inherently more general portfolio.

Not Worth Your Time

Chiimera (forum) (interview) (analysis show)
His work as a Aussie TZ community organizer (Oceanic Assault) was interesting, and it's kind of a shame (but predictable) that he then had to spend of a lot of time distancing himself (gently) from Sion and the drama that his fellow GSF had stirred up recently. In the end, perhaps because he's trying to balance so neatly, he doesn’t seem to have a lot solid to push forward.  He had a lot of disclaimers about “can’t say more without the information that’s under NDA.”, though the things he did put forward were generally a list of F&I items: more bottom-up income for nullsec, ECM rebalance geared for small-gang warfare, killmails for logi ships. This is all a "mom and apple pie" list as we might say here in the US.  So it's hard to see him as a particularly interesting candidate.

Niko Lorenzio (forum) (interview) (no analysis show yet)
So he's an old-school candidate who wants to put things back the way they were? I don't know how much backing he's going to get to want to put the clone grade system back in.  Do we need a CSM who's going to constantly just tell CCP to stop doing new things and put the Eve roadmap into reverse?  I'm not sure he's convincing me from his interview.  No be fair, he does like the split of the carrier into range-damage and fax-machine under his slogan of increasing and honoring specialization.  I think the real killer for me though is that his attitude suggests someone who is going to rage and then fade away as a CSM.  If you want to back an advocate for conservatism in game design, you probably can find another who is more engaging and persuasive.

Annexe (forum) (interview) (no analysis show yet)
Annexe is a nullsec (Imperium / TNT) PVPer and director.  Looking at his forum thread I see considers his CSM run as a #YOLO why not.  That pretty much knocks him immediately to the bottom of my list as not being serious.  If he's still around and wants to run next year and looks like he's taking it seriously then he may be worth taking a new look at.

Aryth (forum) (interview) (analysis show) (DoW panel)
Let's face it: if you are a good little Imperium member then you're voting for Aryth, and if you aren't an Imperium member then Aryth doesn't need or want your vote.  He has been very clear on this latter point in his interview with Declarations of War.  He was pretty clear again in his CSM Watch that he isn't there to represent "pubbies."  His competence and value as a CSM candidate is pretty irrelevant for the purpose of this review