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[SurprisedPikachu]

This is my very first post on NeoGAF so bare with me as I work through this monumental milestone in my 5 year long career here. Anyway, a US politician lobbyist was banned from Eve Online for corruption.

http://archive.is/6mnFq

His name is Brian Schoeneman, known in EVE as Brisc Rubal, and he serves on EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management (CSM). Or, he did serve until today when developer CCP Games announced that Brian Schoeneman was now permanently banned for "sharing confidential information with a member of his alliance that was later used by another alliance member to conduct illicit in-game transactions."

"This misconduct was brought to us by the CSM themselves as an immediate threat to the integrity of the CSM as an institution," reads CCP Games' statement. "CCP’s stance on this is clear: regardless of the type of information shared, acts like this go against everything that the Council of Stellar Management stands for and will not be tolerated under any circumstances."

What do you think?

edit: I kept saying politician. I meant lobbyist.

 

[Husky]

I'll bear with you if you bear with me. What's goin on?

edit: oh I see you edited the post while I was making this. Thanks, fellow.
Fictional interstellar politics are a big deal.

 

[Mista]

I admit that I laughed. First time it happens too

For those asking, I do not know why I was banned from EVE and removed from the CSM. I have asked for clarification and have received none. I categorically deny any wrongdoing and look forward to clearing my name and having my reputation restored.

 

[SurprisedPikachu]

I'll bear with you if you bear with me. What's goin on?

edit: oh I see you edited the post while I was making this. Thanks, fellow.

I see you edited your post as I was about to respond...haha.

I admit that I laughed. First time it happens too

Here's my take it. Put on your tinfoil hat because I think there's a conspiracy here.

I think due to the real life political climate a few players who all know Brian is a real life politician lobbyist took it upon themselves to make some false allegations that CCP then used as a reason to ban him and a few other players - because he is a Republican. It's just too convenient that these players somehow knew that he was doing this and CCP just said "Oh, okay, we'll investigate it." and then banned him because he supposedly shared the information.

Let's entertain the thought that he did for a second. Why would you share anything in game that you know CCP keeps logs? I mean how stupid would you have to be? I don't think he is that stupid and that is why I think this is a coordinated effort between a few players on the CSM and CCP.

edit: lobbyist, not politician... brain said "politics = politician" for some dumb reason.

 

[ThatGamingDude]

Let's entertain the thought that he did for a second. Why would you share anything in game that you know CCP keeps logs? I mean how stupid would you have to be? I don't think he is that stupid and that is why I think this is a coordinated effort between a few players on the CSM and CCP.

Let's just take a second and remind ourselves the level of knowledge some of the current USA leaders have when it comes to technology:


I also do not expect any politician or anyone who doesn't specialize in IT or have an interest in IT to understand anything like logging, etc.

When you have to play patty cake with someone on the board of directors and trying to tell them they're doing something wrong, it makes the picture more clear. They're paid to do X, not do or understand Y, that's why I have job.

 

[SurprisedPikachu]

Let's just take a second and remind ourselves the level of knowledge some of the current USA leaders have when it comes to technology:

Yes, but I can't name another US politician well known lobbyist who plays Eve Online either. I would be willing to give an Eve player the benefit of the doubt, especially someone as high up in the largest alliance as he was.

edit: just making sure my corrections are consistent.

 

[ThatGamingDude]

Yes, but I can't name another US politician who plays Eve Online either. I would be willing to give an Eve player the benefit of the doubt, especially someone as high up in the largest alliance as he was.

Playing EVE Online and being high up in a large alliance shows that you can play EVE Online and be a respected member of a community, not that he understands what type of auditing occurs within EVE Online's system, or what type of auditing could occur

Especially with someone in high stature, I would rather wait for facts than assumptions. Right now I have no evidence that he is tech savvy; he just plays a game

 

[Airbus Jr]

Someones ive never heard of is banned from playing games i never played

Thanks for the news

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

This game sounds more fun when reading about it compared to actually playing it. I have huge respect for EVE Online and its fanbase though

 

[TeamGhobad]

insider trading in a game? i mean its a game. you should be able to be a scoundrel in the game. weird decision.

 

[Flappe]

insider trading in a game? i mean its a game. you should be able to be a scoundrel in the game. weird decision.

you can scam ingame, but illicit gametransaction could mean that the player in question got PLEX, which pays for game-time, or ship skins. thats is the way CCP makes money, so if he used that kind of info to get ahead, he would have a big advantage over the rest of the players. Besides, he was elected by the playerbase to a seat of CSM, so they are privvy to lot of inside info on the game, since they get to be flown to Iceland to talk directly to CCP, the developer. I also think they are prohibited to share that info with anyone outside the CSM.

i do not know the story though.

 

[Fbh]

EVE continues to be crazy

This game sounds more fun when reading about it compared to actually playing it. I have huge respect for EVE Online and its fanbase though

Hahaha. Yeah. Whenever I've seen actual gameplay it looks boring to me, and the level of complexity and time investment required kinda make it seem like a second job.

But all the stories that come out from the game are amazing. You read some stories about battles and shit that sound like they are taken straight out of a sci fi movie, except it's all happening unscripted within this game.

 

[MayauMiao]

This is my very first post on NeoGAF so bare with me as I work through this monumental milestone in my 5 year long career here. Anyway, a US politician was banned from Eve Online for corruption.

http://archive.is/6mnFq





What do you think?

He should have kept his job separate from game.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Someones ive never heard of is banned from playing games i never played

Thanks for the news

I used to think the same, then I found out Eve players deal with potentially hundreds of thousands in real money, when playing this game. Blew me away how these alliances can burn through a lot in one single battle.
It gets pretty epic, but, then again, I'm a big sci-fi nerd, so it naturally aligns with my interests.

 

[Zambatoh]

I...don't get it. This guy was banned for someone else's actions? How does that work?

 

[Snakey125]

As an EVE Player, Let me explain:

- CSM is a collective of players that come from different aspects (Null Security space, Low Security, High Security, and Wormhole space when we get one) of the game and agree-to-disagree with the developers on what should be added/fixed/changed. CSM gets elected every year. CCP gets last word still HOWEVER.
- When a person makes CSM, they have to sign a shit-ton of NDAs. They cannot talk about the changes in public, to their "corporation" (clans in MMO basically) NOR their alliance. The reason for this is to make sure not one entity that has a person on the CSM can benefit from purposed changes. (Reminder that EVE's economy is 99% player-driven.) Every so often, there is a meeting in Iceland at CCP's office with CSM and CCP will release some of the talks some time after.

The dude admitted to telling his corpmates about the purposed changes in order to get their opinion on it. He ended up breaking his NDA due to it. His heart was in the right place, but he broke the rules and his NDA.

 

[mcz117chief]

As an EVE Player, Let me explain:

- CSM is a collective of players that come from different aspects (Null Security space, Low Security, High Security, and Wormhole space when we get one) of the game and agree-to-disagree with the developers on what should be added/fixed/changed. CSM gets elected every year. CCP gets last word still HOWEVER.
- When a person makes CSM, they have to sign a shit-ton of NDAs. They cannot talk about the changes in public, to their "corporation" (clans in MMO basically) NOR their alliance. The reason for this is to make sure not one entity that has a person on the CSM can benefit from purposed changes. (Reminder that EVE's economy is 99% player-driven.) Every so often, there is a meeting in Iceland at CCP's office with CSM and CCP will release some of the talks some time after.

The dude admitted to telling his corpmates about the purposed changes in order to get their opinion on it. He ended up breaking his NDA due to it. His heart was in the right place, but he broke the rules and his NDA.

Those are bad rules. Corruption should be a part of player driven games. It makes the whole thing more believable. It shouldn't be enforced and should be frowned upon, but in game activities should be punished with in game penalties like being booted from corp, becoming a wanted target, etc. I could understand this in any other mmo, especially theme park ones, but not in EVE.

 

[Fuz]

 

[Snakey125]

Those are bad rules. Corruption should be a part of player driven games. It makes the whole thing more believable. It shouldn't be enforced and should be frowned upon, but in game activities should be punished with in game penalties like being booted from corp, becoming a wanted target, etc. I could understand this in any other mmo, especially theme park ones, but not in EVE.

EVE doesn't hold hands, but there are some rules to least keep it from becoming a shit-fest.

By the way, I'm glad OP changed the title because I was JUST about to point out that he attempted to become a politician kinda before his run for CSM in EVE but didn't make it.

 

[atomic moth]

I see you edited your post as I was about to respond...haha.



Here's my take it. Put on your tinfoil hat because I think there's a conspiracy here.

I think due to the real life political climate a few players who all know Brian is a real life politician took it upon themselves to make some false allegations that CCP then used as a reason to ban him and a few other players - because he is a Republican. It's just too convenient that these players somehow knew that he was doing this and CCP just said "Oh, okay, we'll investigate it." and then banned him because he supposedly shared the information..

I just want to make it clear to people unfamiliar with the US government system that a lobbyist is not a politician.

A lobbyist is not an elected official.

A lobbyist is oftentimes a malignant tumor on the US political system’s forehead, but in no way do the people of the United States elect them. They do not “hold office.”

 

[SurprisedPikachu]

I just want to make it clear to people unfamiliar with the US government system that a lobbyist is not a politician.

A lobbyist is not an elected official.

A lobbyist is oftentimes a malignant tumor on the US political system’s forehead, but in no way do the people of the United States elect them. They do not “hold office.”

You're absolutely right, and I wrote the title but for some reason I kept saying politician in my responses.

 

[Jigsaah]

As an EVE Player, Let me explain:

- CSM is a collective of players that come from different aspects (Null Security space, Low Security, High Security, and Wormhole space when we get one) of the game and agree-to-disagree with the developers on what should be added/fixed/changed. CSM gets elected every year. CCP gets last word still HOWEVER.
- When a person makes CSM, they have to sign a shit-ton of NDAs. They cannot talk about the changes in public, to their "corporation" (clans in MMO basically) NOR their alliance. The reason for this is to make sure not one entity that has a person on the CSM can benefit from purposed changes. (Reminder that EVE's economy is 99% player-driven.) Every so often, there is a meeting in Iceland at CCP's office with CSM and CCP will release some of the talks some time after.

The dude admitted to telling his corpmates about the purposed changes in order to get their opinion on it. He ended up breaking his NDA due to it. His heart was in the right place, but he broke the rules and his NDA.

Some questions.

1. CSM gets elected each year. Please tell me how involved are the political campaigns for this?
2. Why so many NDA's. Can one not cover it all?
3. Since the game mimics real life in a lot of ways, why isn't there some form of judicial system in place that doesn't result in the player simply not existing in the game. Essentially, in-game, the punishment for corruption is death. Space is harsh.
4. They meet in Iceland...what in the fartin' fuck. So players fly to frickin Iceland as elected officials of EVE Online? Does CCP pay their way? Do they get secret service protection or whatever the space equivalent is?

 

[bati]

As an EVE Player,

Sorry for going offtopic, but I have to ask - how is Eve these days? I just logged in to check if my character is still there and I noticed I last logged in in 2015. I have a character with 66m SP (fully trained marauders, BS, t3 cruisers, some t2), used to mostly run missions because I was solo and never had a second account for some more complicated activities such as WHs. How is PVE in the game these days?

 

[Snakey125]

.....Some questions....

1. People express they are running for CSM on the forums and can go out and campaign how they wish. Ads, Joining podcasts, etc
2. I have never ran for CSM, but I've been told that you signed and go through a process if you get elected. That's how CCP Games does it.
3. There was a system in-game at one point where players receiving bans get absolutely murdered by the EVE Online's "police", CONCORD. Lore-wise: The player is a capsuleer. Capsuleers can fly ships via implants and can get revived (Only in the ship ) using clones via clone bays on every station. CONCORD can shut this off and just kill em' if deemed worth it.
4. Yes. They get flown to Reykjavík where CCP Game's office is located. For each meeting, that is paid for by CCP with board and transit. No. There is no secret service shit.

Sorry for going offtopic, but I have to ask - how is Eve these days? I just logged in to check if my character is still there and I noticed I last logged in in 2015. I have a character with 66m SP (fully trained marauders, BS, t3 cruisers, some t2), used to mostly run missions because I was solo and never had a second account for some more complicated activities such as WHs. How is PVE in the game these days?

They been trying to improve PVE quite a bit these days. Frequent PVE events lately and If you been keeping up with the updates, A new faction, Triglavian Collective, was brought in with a new type of space called Abyssal Deadspace. You use an item to go into a series of rooms before you get blown up from your entrance closing. Different items have different effects and people have different fittings for them. The loot you get is used for getting the ships from the faction, which are interesting and unique considering they have their own weapon type that slowly does more DPS as the weapon is "spun-up" or active.

I could go more into depth, but I rather stay on topic.

 

[Jigsaah]

1. People express they are running for CSM on the forums and can go out and campaign how they wish. Ads, Joining podcasts, etc
2. I have never ran for CSM, but I've been told that you signed and go through a process if you get elected. That's how CCP Games does it.
3. There was a system in-game at one point where players receiving bans get absolutely murdered by the EVE Online's "police", CONCORD. Lore-wise: The player is a capsuleer. Capsuleers can fly ships via implants and can get revived (Only in the ship ) using clones via clone bays on every station. CONCORD can shut this off and just kill em' if deemed worth it.
4. Yes. They get flown to Reykjavík where CCP Game's office is located. For each meeting, that is paid for by CCP with board and transit. No. There is no secret service shit.



They been trying to improve PVE quite a bit these days. Frequent PVE events lately and If you been keeping up with the updates, A new faction, Triglavian Collective, was brought in with a new type of space called Abyssal Deadspace. You use an item to go into a series of rooms before you get blown up from your entrance closing. Different items have different effects and people have different fittings for them. The loot you get is used for getting the ships from the faction, which are interesting and unique considering they have their own weapon type that slowly does more DPS as the weapon is "spun-up" or active.

I could go more into depth, but I rather stay on topic.

Dude this is deep...I knew there were like huge battles online and everything, but this is some other shyt altogether. Crazy. Thanks for the response. Is CONCORD a player run thing or is it part of the games built in system mechanics? I've never played EVE so sorry if some of these questions are like "duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh".

 

[Bang Learnedly]

Congrats on the first post!

Eve is my favorite game that I have no interest in playing. The politics and drama around the game can get batshit insane, and the way the economy works and how people have grifted others is really interesting to read about. But then you try to play it and it's the most boring thing.

 

[Belmonte]

TL;DR:

 

[AngelaLifman]

It's been almost 2 years, but I'm still wondering how this story ended. Can anyone comment or link to an article?
Thank you in advance

 

[AngelaLifman]

Let's just take a second and remind ourselves the level of knowledge some of the current USA leaders have when it comes to technology:


I also do not expect any politician or anyone who doesn't specialize in IT or have an interest in IT to understand anything like logging, etc.

When you have to play patty cake with someone on the board of directors and trying to tell them they're doing something wrong, it makes the picture more clear. More details about corruption https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/corruption/ here. They're paid to do X, not do or understand Y, that's why I have job.

Think about what will happen next. The world of the future is a world in which politics and government will not have the same impact as technology companies. The Big Trinity has long held a controlling stake, even if it doesn't seem so.