with some updates to the user interface

I remember the interface being a problem last year. Can you provide details on the updated ui? Will we be able to see a mock up before the election?

Greetings,

Recently returned player here. Having participated in voting in a few CSM elections while I was playing previously and being in general very disappointed in the actions, inaction, and features the CSM has advocated over the years along with the politics involved I feel their usefulness is minimal if not dubious at best. I feel CCP should disband the CSM and redirect its resources and efforts elsewhere.

Is there a way through the voting process, other than simple abstention, to indicate my dissatisfaction with the CSM to CCP? Though it is early to judge the candidates for CSM 9 I suspect the various choices will be as dismal as in previous elections. If abstention remains the only option available to us then so be it. If another option exists a link pointing to directions to exercise that option would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Greetings,

Recently returned player here. Having participated in voting in a few CSM elections while I was playing previously and being in general very disappointed in the actions, inaction, and features the CSM has advocated over the years along with the politics involved I feel their usefulness is minimal if not dubious at best. I feel CCP should disband the CSM and redirect its resources and efforts elsewhere.

Is there a way through the voting process, other than simple abstention, to indicate my dissatisfaction with the CSM to CCP? Though it is early to judge the candidates for CSM 9 I suspect the various choices will be as dismal as in previous elections. If abstention remains the only option available to us then so be it. If another option exists a link pointing to directions to exercise that option would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

That is why I ran, and got elected twice.

Well, my usual suggestion would be to create a posting alt and hit the forums, but it appears you have already done that...

Have you even looked at the candidates? Are you unhappy with the rather wide selection, or with the CSM process as a whole?

If you are really that unhappy with the candidates, perhaps you should be running yourself? That is why I ran, and got elected twice.

Ah, well this character isn't a forum alt just my main. I'm normally just a reader of the forums. Needless to say under most circumstances I don't see a compelling reason to post.

I am beginning to review the candidates now and as in the past I am at best disappointed by what I see. Besides the lack of "good candidates" I find the CSM to be of little use. I can't see much of what the CSM claims credit for as compelling, useful, or otherwise improving the game. Understand this is just my humble opinion.

As I feel the CSM should not exist it seems a waste of my time and the time of my fellow players to indulge the process by becoming a candidate. I'd rather speak with my vote for what its worth and baring that my wallet. Keeps things simple.

If CCP has not deemed to include an option to express one's dissatisfaction with the CSM in the vote then I will have to settle with abstention.

Thank you for your suggestions though.

Okay, so your real question is: Will I be able to vote without voting or will the system compel me to pad a ballot with choices, even if I find them all unpalatable?

Okay, so your real question is: Will I be able to vote without voting or will the system compel me to pad a ballot with choices, even if I find them all unpalatable?

Personally, I don't remember how it worked last year, but I like that idea of being able to submit a ballot with only 1 or 2 people (or 0), selected. I would however want there to be a confirmation dialog or checkbox you have to hit indicating that you are knowingly submitting a partially selected/complete ballot. That sounds like it would do what you want (and again, I don't remember last year, so hopefully someone will pipe in ... heck, its the forums, I'm SURE someone will ).

I dislike a pure abstention of "if you don't like it, don't bother voting" option, because that doesn't differentiate those that want to vote, and take the time to look, but dislike their choices or the system, versus those to lazy to participate at all.

As in previous years ill be running Vote Match again to help voters make sense of the candidate list and provide a platform for candidates to reach potential voters. Follow @EveVotematch on twitter or check out the website at http://www.eve-csm.com!

As I feel the CSM should not exist it seems a waste of my time and the time of my fellow players to indulge the process by becoming a candidate. I'd rather speak with my vote for what its worth and baring that my wallet. Keeps things simple.

You state that you're a returned player. Maybe you should hold your judgment. When I started in 2009, the CSM was a bad joke. But ever since Incarna, CCP seems to be taking them more and more seriously. For the last couple of years, I have been very happy with the role the CSM plays and with the specific players on the council.

LOL..

And if what you said is true, (and it very likely is), then that is the worst thing possible for the game of Eve.
Is the CSM professional in what they do? No doubt.
Are they very persuasive in their lobbying for specific changes? Absolutely.

The null sec cartels have realized that by controlling the CSM, they control the dev's, and the direction of the game.
Hence why we are witnessing the destruction of high sec.

These guys are professional lobbyists no doubt. They have a huge vested interest in wiping out high sec profitability, and are co-ordinating their assault on high sec through effective propaganda campaigns on the forums, direct CSM contact with the dev's, plus any backchannel pressure they can apply (dev's being wined and dined in the goon sponsored Las Vegas event, with pictures and blogs for proof). And that does not even include the dev's who have been handpicked from the null sec cartels.

So yes, I wish that the CSM was actually a joke when it comes to organization and professionalism, and considered so by CCP. Unfortunately, that is not the view of CCP, and the game is slowly being ruined because of that view.

No one ever considers tobacco or oil industry lobbyists as anything but highly professional, and effective. Professionalism and evilness don't have to be mutually exclusive.

The null sec cartels

even if the community stopped running as candidates, and everyone stopped voting, I'd figure out some way to fill what is essentially the same value niche

LOL..

And if what you said is true, (and it very likely is), then that is the worst thing possible for the game of Eve.
Is the CSM professional in what they do? No doubt.
Are they very persuasive in their lobbying for specific changes? Absolutely.

The null sec cartels have realized that by controlling the CSM, they control the dev's, and the direction of the game.
Hence why we are witnessing the destruction of high sec.

These guys are professional lobbyists no doubt. They have a huge vested interest in wiping out high sec profitability, and are co-ordinating their assault on high sec through effective propaganda campaigns on the forums, direct CSM contact with the dev's, plus any backchannel pressure they can apply (dev's being wined and dined in the goon sponsored Las Vegas event, with pictures and blogs for proof). And that does not even include the dev's who have been handpicked from the null sec cartels.

So yes, I wish that the CSM was actually a joke when it comes to organization and professionalism, and considered so by CCP. Unfortunately, that is not the view of CCP, and the game is slowly being ruined because of that view.

No one ever considers tobacco or oil industry lobbyists as anything but highly professional, and effective. Professionalism and evilness don't have to be mutually exclusive.

And then you wonder why no one takes you seriously. The game isn't being slowly ruined, it's improving. It's changing in ways you don't like, but that's a wash since other people do like the changes.

This part is important: Just because people like things differently from you doesn't make them Evil. And no one is trying to kill high sec, however some of us honestly feel that High Sec is too coddling for a game like this and that because it's too good it stifles some of the truly creative things players could be doing to and for each other (because npcs are doing it). If you think an honest diffence of opinon about what's good for this game we are playing and the community it's spawned makes us "evil" then you have a problem.

The funny thing to me is that (just like in real life with big oil), its people like you who fuel the situation you rail against, becasue you personally are stuffing money into CCP's (and thus according to you, Goon's) coffers by playing EVE and using plex.

Good luck to everyone running!

I'm a primarily highsec player, and most of the people I voted for last year were nullsec alliance members. Precisely because most of them stood for increased competitive play in highsec and less of the 'repeat the same dungeons over and over with a 99% success rate' gameplay you expect of WOW.

In fact, I voted for them over some people who had narrow platforms I agreed with (like the Fuzzworks guy's production platform, which IIRC was quite good and I'm a producer).

If they were true 'cartel lobbyists', they'd be looking after their own alliances by trying to get CCP to stop acting against nullsec botting (so they can tax the bots and feed their alliances that way). I have NEVER seen a null alliance CSM member suggest that CCP reduce their anti-botting efforts.