Something that came up recently was the idea that some people seem to work in EVE just like they would in a job. I can easily understand how it would seem strange, as EVE is meant to be a game, not a second career (for sane people).
However, you need to understand that people get satisfaction from a variety of different undertakings. Some of my "job" in EVE is challenge. Coordinating supply lines, figuring out security procedures, and determining building preferences is a challenge, and I get a sense of accomplishment when it is done well. Working with my staff to meet goals, and enjoying their conversation and company is a great experience. Those factors, combined with the fact that I am supporting a community that I believe in is sufficient motivation. Yes, it isn't nearly the same type of fun as blowing up someone's ship, but it is rewarding nonetheless, just in different ways. Some aspects of my "job" aren't challenging. They are the equivalent of work; refining jobs, installing byom, etc... But I try to insure that these aspects don't become so much workload that they overload me, or any of my staff, and that they are tasks that can easily be done while multitasking other more rewarding activities.
If I wasn't doing any of these things, I could devote more time to PVP on my alts, or industrial ambitions, or trading, and I'd probably be much richer and have better killboard stats as a result. But I like the balance that I have now, where I can participate in all three without any one overwhelming me. Sometimes the logistics tasks of the Uni do grow to monopolize a large part of my time, but I know those times will pass, and it is the price I pay for having the job the rest of the time.
Much like the rest of EVE's sandbox, your behavior in a corporation can span a wide variety of playstyles. I personally believe that people that gain satisfaction by working towards the benefit of the group are an invaluable resource that every corp is lucky to have, and should be thankful. However, corporations need to make sure that those people don't have responsibility and duties given to them that push them past the point where they find it rewarding and burn out.
I absolutely agree with your view on it. Different people get their satisfaction different places. I for one sit docked about 50% of my time, if not more, and just chat with and help other people. While I like playing the game as a spaceships game (blowing stuff up), I really think EVE is much more than that. It's a whole different genre of MMO. Think about if no one was mining ores/produced ships and modules. Can't have much fun without those things. For example: the learning curve is so steep that it keeps (almost) all of the retarded folks from other, "easier" MMOs (no names, and no offense meant to them) out of the game, which generally keeps the maturity level high, which I've missed in almost any other game I've played. This fact is a big part of why I play EVE. The community is for the most part mature, while still being able to have lots and lots of fun.
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-Shirralia
I think that what most people don't understand is that Eve Online is more like a hobby than a game. In a game, like Starcraft, there is a story, it has a progression which you work through by overcoming tasks. In Eve you're essentially engaged in a hobby, like painting a portrait. You start by building a foundation, you can add on or change things as you see fit, and the entire process is about creation of something more personal and meaningful than a high score with your initials next to it.
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