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Forum Name Gameplay
Topic subjectToday's PSA!
Topic URLhttps://forums.carrionfields.com/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=42092
42092, Today's PSA!
Posted by Rayihn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
No imm is going to explain the blow by blow exact details of how detect artifact works, or how the sleek system works. These things are questy in nature and thus are not discussed. They are for you to discover in game and they need to stay there.

These things have been in the game for a LONG time. All of the bugs have pretty well been worked out. We are not saying it's impossible that there's a bug involved, but multiple imms have reviewed current situations that have been brought up as problems and believe it is by design. As has been said repeatedly, just because you don't like it or don't understand the why behind it does not mean it's a bug.

Spamming the bug board, pray logs, gameplay forums, etc with things you don't like and continuing to ignore warnings telling you to stop it will get you banned. It will not get things changed to the way you want them.
42154, Thread locked before the banhammer comes down. (n/t)
Posted by Twist on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
.
42128, Just a thought
Posted by Quixotic on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I didn't see your echo, but maybe
-it fired but your timer wasn't up (see below)
-it fired on a scroll or potion
-it fired on a hidden container in the room, but you mistakenly thought it was the mob.
-your character/IP has been flagged with the infamous NO_SLEEK_REPOP

I've played 4 mages, and I've found 2 out of three sleeks for each of them. Where I struggle is finding aura, whether sleek or limited.
42134, That is obvious
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Same questions as I've asked myself and answers are here:

http://forums.carrionfields.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=6&topic_id=42092&mesg_id=42131&page=
42124, Did I say something wrong?
Posted by TMNS on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
If so, oops?

If not, I apologize. Cold + cold medicine means I just woke up after 14 hrs of sleep.
42112, In the interest of opening a dialogue
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Rayihn,

I can see your side of this: You're tired of dealing with the same blow-ups over the same issues over and over again. You, as an imm, set the rules and you expect people to follow the rules, whether or not they're perceived as fair (as we've butted heads over in the past). Playing the game is a privilege and when choosing to play a particular class that can take advantage of the wand system, the onus of frustration lies solely on the player. It's not your fault someone hasn't figured it out, but you feel there are ample clues which lead to the answer. It all comes to a boiling point when a player pushes you off the edge leading you to this original post.

I can see the player side of this: You've played the game for years and have seen a lot of cool things out of awesome players. Who can forget Cabdru, Blitzenturt, Nreisshe, Dulmisa, Zubei, or other players who take the game to a new level of fun? Maybe you try to play an invoker a half-dozen times before you get one who makes it to hero. You finally have all the pieces into place - you know you're not a great PK'er, but you're getting constantly stomped by everyone with a pair of bone axes. You ask around in-game, you look for clues, you spend hours upon hours, several constitution points, and you just can't figure it out. It must be unsolvable. It's frustrating because you finally think you have a fun combination with potential and it just turns out to be... disappointing. Blows-ups and venting of frustration ensue, annoying imms to the point of the original post.


Is it at all possible to reach some sort of compromise that will please both players and imms alike? It's frustrating you enough that you felt you had to post this. It's frustrating for us to spend tens, hundreds, even thousands of hours in a game where puzzles feel impossible to solve. When we ask for a clue, we get shut down. I'm not suggesting that there be any changes to game mechanics. The wand system is in place and it did take y'all a LOT of work to balance and error-test everything. I know that's a bitch to do. Maybe if there was something in the way of a "divine intervention" command where a frustrated player can make a note that they really need help, leaving it up to an imm to aid within, say, two weeks of the request. An imm can review the matter and the character and help in whatever way they desire, like giving a room echo to the player in question, sending a room echo to a cabal leader who seems like they would have the answer, or even transporting a character to a particular place where they can start looking for clues. This offers the player some empathy, even when totally undeserving of it, while still letting them figure it out on their own (albeit with a little nudge in the right direction).

Example:
divineintervention "I've been searching all over for clues on what detect artifact means and I can't even find clues to begin! Please help, I'm at my wits end!"
- BillyBob has sent up a request for divineintervention: 200 hours old, Fortress, 10 con, invoker, 3-40 pk record
...
transport billybob room 1001
gecho A divine presence has brought you to the room where you should start looking for clues.


---------------------------
If there are any suggestions from anyone else, go for it. The alternative here is to not talk about it, continue with the status quo, and just let players be frustrated. In the short term, that may mean nothing. However, I know that when I get really frustrated, I get bored and decide that the game isn't worth my time anymore. I stop playing and go enjoy something else (which happens a lot more often these past years). Other players do the same thing. Eventually, we just quit altogether and less people just equals less fun overall. My opinion, anyways.
42121, RE: In the interest of opening a dialogue
Posted by Zulghinlour on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>Example:
>divineintervention "I've been searching all over for clues on
>what detect artifact means and I can't even find clues to
>begin! Please help, I'm at my wits end!"
>- BillyBob has sent up a request for divineintervention: 200
>hours old, Fortress, 10 con, invoker, 3-40 pk record
>...
>transport billybob room 1001
>gecho A divine presence has brought you to the room where you
>should start looking for clues.

Great, another thing for us to police. No thank you. Regardless of whatever rules we put in place for something like your recommended divineintervention, there will be people finding ways for to game this system. I also see this as the "easy button". Oh well...I tried...now please just tell me what to do. That's not how CF works.

In this particular case, the answer wouldn't have changed from the first time to the last time. It's by design. There is no bug present. How do you divineintervention that? He obviously didn't like the answer the first time, and apparently only when I told him the exact same thing did he believe it.
42122, What I don't get
Posted by incognito on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Is that this is common enough knowledge that asking around IC will get you the answer.
42133, Yeah
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
And no one of the players that I've asked had ANY idea why it's not popping and at least five of them said I should pray about it, because they never experienced that.

No one from about 20 different characters.
42132, Not quite
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
As I mentioned below, you answered absolutely differently.

Daervyn: "It works not how you think, you waste my time"
You: "It works ok, go find what you did wrong"

First - tells to #### off and don't annoy me
Second - tells to go and figure it out yourself

Maybe for you it's all the same. For me - it's different things.
42137, RE: In the interest of opening a dialogue
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>Great, another thing for us to police. No thank you.
>Regardless of whatever rules we put in place for something
>like your recommended divineintervention, there will be people
>finding ways for to game this system. I also see this as the
>"easy button". Oh well...I tried...now please just tell me
>what to do. That's not how CF works.

Your flippant reply makes it sound like nothing anyone suggests could possibly convince you that when a player truly does need help after hours/tens of hours/hundreds of hours of searching that it would *NOT* be appropriate to ask the imms to step in and give a nudge in the right direction. Further, players would only try to cheat a system where asking for help when appropriate is encouraged. Instead of trying things out for ourselves, we'll just sit in an area for awhile, and then hit some button that will magically give us all the answers. One might conclude from your statement that your opinion of the playerbase is rather low.

Let's be blunt, Zulgh, do you REALLY think that as many people have found their wand sources, NONE of them have gone OOC to get the answers? Even though Explosion has been kind of abrasive (obviously because he's frustrated with the situation), he's been honest enough to try to figure out your puzzle by himself. That's not worth a kudos? Given that some of the in-game puzzles are extremely hard, you're creating the need for a black market of information in the CF community - and the blame for that does lie upon you and the staff. THAT'S how the game works - a few people figure out the puzzle for themselves, a bunch of people get secondhand information to solve the puzzle, and the rest who try for themselves and fail are treated like #### by the staff because it's not worth staff time to help anyone but themselves.

It's okay, though, Zulgh. I appreciate the work you put into the MUD. You add some cool things - I really like the additions from Santa Zulg this year. However, your "By Design" attitude when it comes to issues like this don't help anything and we'll just continue to see these tirades until no one plays the game anymore. If that's the way you want to handle the problem, good for you.


By Design,
Baron
42100, I would like to commend the great work put into this system.
Posted by Khavorik on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I've been playing off and on for 9 or so years and I've taken fairly long breaks that have been upto a year in between. And I've always created a new mage char and by the time I'm able to find a sleek and with the current system I usually do or find a suitable unique to cover it until I do. With the implementation of a class shield spell I've felt a huge boost in survivability. IMHO it all comes down to what the player is willing to do to learn the game. And if they want to fully experience the game then some might want to consider a change in play style until they learn more.
42106, Thank you
Posted by Rayihn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
We really appreciate hearing things like this.
42138, The problem isn't any of this
Posted by trewyn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
The problem is simply that it takes so many hours just to have a character to enjoy. All of your other arguments are moot. If it takes a twenty hour investment before the character becomes fun, then that's a problem for a game whose purpose is to be fun. Now I will say that first off a lot of these complaints could simply be solved if the complainers went and played another game. One they were a little bit better at. But that's not the environment we are trying to create, is it?

ABS not withstanding, a mage cannot handle anyone except other mages and rangers and the occasional noob of the other classes until they get aura or get lucky with some ambushes (the non-ranger variety). And the level 20 aura wand is too hard for them to get solo unless you can request it (which you can't do at level 20, as far as I know). The level 23 aura wand is hoarded by the older mages almost all the time. Typically, I tend to find one reliable aura source by the time I hit level 32. Which means I have to level all the way up to level 32 BEFORE I can start to really enjoy the character. Getting one or two rounded starts to lose its appeal after about the 5th time. But really with a mage you have to power rank from level 22 to level 36 for bash protection unless you are very capable at picking fights. (reduce is over powered)

It's even worse with the talismans because you have so many classes clamoring for the same thing. Mages, bards, and rangers. And the low level aura talisman (level 23ish also I believe) is sometimes there. But you won't be able to get it without a lot of effort or help until you are a higher level. But the talisman issue is fine because you only need them at the hero levels where the game inbalance starts to become a feature.

Perhaps a fix would be to put a level cap on some of the lower level aura and shield wands so that they are actually available for the lowbies. Or make a REALLY low level aura talisman that has like a 2 or 3 tick timer that can be gotten at level 11 from Aldeveri or those caravans Iunna dreamed up. Give it a side effect like -2 str or dex. Because the sad truth is that even with both aura and shield, most melee classes are still going to steam roll you until you get bash protection.

But then I am probably in my own camp with this idea. ABS isn't broken. It's the play dynamic that's broken. Not enough fights.
42142, I advocate level caps on some sources
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Hero-level hoarding of items that can be obtained at level 23 sucks. When you consider how easy it is for just about any other class besides mage to run around and kill mages, there's a huge disparity in available help.
42152, You know...
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I play lots of mages...I can name maybe 3-4 limited a/b/s that are wands, and I never look for them as a lowbie. I feel dumb now.
42117, RE: I would like to commend the great work put into this system.
Posted by This x100000000000 on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
People always forget about all the "other" wands/potions/scrolls that are in the game. I wish people would lose the idea of, I can only be good with a mage if I find sleeks and blacks. None of us have any idea what the imms have to do day to day or what it takes to keep this FREE game running. Stop dumping on the imms for your setbacks.
42093, Dear...
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I never said I don't like current system. I said that I NEVER experienced anything like this and it NEVER worked as I've reported.

If you want to say it by design (and for years I never had it) and nothing changed... I really feel sorry for you.
42094, It's by design and nothing changed.
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I seriously don't know how many times you need to hear that before it sinks in.
42096, You are funny.
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
You say it's by design but refuse to explain how its working because it's so ####ing questy supersecret elite-veteran players only thing.

Ridiculous ####. If there would be rewards for the most anti user-friendly functionality, youd surely would win it.
42097, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is very user-friendly. nt
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
nt
42098, RE: You are funny.
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
It turns out that no matter how many times you pray or post to the bug board saying the same damn thing (and it's been a lot of times), you don't always get what you want.

And now we're done with it. Call it a day and move on with your life.
42104, RE: You are funny.
Posted by Isildur on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
People have explained how it works on Dio's. It works (such as it is) for some people. They seem to be doing something you're not.
42105, RE: It's by design and nothing changed.
Posted by MRSK on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Maybe as many times as we needed to hear it about crashing of the waves legacy or shove vs nightwalkers?
42095, it IS bugged
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
your brain, that is.
42099, What part do you think is a bug?
Posted by laxman on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Wand system = a player has 1 location semi randomly selected for each wand type (sienna, amber, black) when they are created if they are a mage. Semi random because based on your align/ethos they won't be placed in places a future cabal ideology might prevent (not on goodie mobs for goodies, cities for orderly, and wild creatures for chaotic, maybe some non same race for some races)

If you take an attunement edge you now have multiple locations for the type you selected.

Detect atifacts chance of giving you a purple echo is based on the veil (more magic more better) and if the item is in stock at the time. There is also a much higher chance if its a sleek vs a limited wand.

Wands have a variable repop timer that can go up to a couple of hours for limited wands and seems around 30 minutes for sleek wands.

In a nuttshell that is the system. Some spots may be easier/harder then others. Some goodies might moan about wands on a neutral. But in general it accomplishes the goal of injecting ABS into the playerbase without neccesarily garunteeing it all the time for everyone. Even if you never find your sleeks if you know all the limited wands chances are at least one of the barrier wands is in at anty given time and tons of shield/aura are around.
42101, RE: What part do you think is a bug?
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
So based on this, if you went to what you knew was a sleek location for you and didn't get a wand that time, the cause would be...?
42102, Wand timer! No wait..Conspiracy! BOTH! n/t
Posted by Lhydia on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
gr
42103, ####! He's on to us! (n/t)
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
.
42107, Answer
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
In my understanding it's a bug if all of those conditions are performed, but wand didn't popped:
1. DA flared;
2. Mob was killed by me;
3. I've been fighting mob until it's death;
4. At least 10 minutes passed since I've logged in;
5. I didn't reconnect;
6. I didn't gather this wand for at least 30 minutes.

But most weird that DA flared. Mob died. Wand didn't pop.

It happened about 20 times, and it's by design.

Okay, I'm not arguing with it. But I've asked WHY THE #### DA FLARING IF wand isn't there?

And instead of giving an answer, I'm getting absolutely moronic replies such as "It's not working as you think" or "We don't discuss that supersecret #### here".

Circus left, but clowns are still here.

42115, RE: Answer
Posted by Isildur on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Some thoughts:

1. Maybe somebody swiped it when the mob died.

2. If the wand was a sleek then maybe detect artifact triggers on the location even when the timer hasn't yet expired. Or, possibly laxman is wrong to say that it only flares when limited wands are physically present.

3. Maybe detect artifact flared because of a wand in a container in that room and not actually carried by the mob you've been killing.
42131, RE: Answer
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
1. No, checked many times, no one were there;

2. There were no other wands sources, limited or unlimited, and mobs were walking from room to room, which made it clear - DA flared on the mob;

3. It's a mob, and no other containers were in that room, on floor, oron any other mobs.

I know when it might flare and made sure it didn't flare on something else in the room. It flared on the particular mob - there is an echo, that it's flared on this mob with his name in it.

I've asked WHY and posted on the bugboard (and yeah, I'm bad because I did it). I didn't get any clear answer until Zulg's post "It's not a bug, figure it out". I didn't get any answer to the question WHY wand didn't pop because it's supersecret thing that only imms should know (but that's another story).

If I'd get answer "It's working ok, but sometimes flaring on the mobs that can carry your rod, but currently they don't", it would be enough for me to say "Thanks!" and move on.
42141, RE: Answer
Posted by Isildur on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
So the two most likely scenarios seem to be:

1. The mob sometimes has a limited wand, detect artifact triggers on locations even when the wand is over limit, and the wand has been over limit every time you killed that mob, or

2. The mob has one of your sleeks, detect artifact triggers on locations even when the sleek timer hasn't expired, and the timer has not been expired any time you've killed that mob.

#2 seems less likely if you've killed the mob multiple times that were days apart and still didn't get a sleek.
42144, I thought about that too.
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
But,

1. Those mobs (none of three) ever hold any non-sleek wand, nor location holds it in any container;

2. Sleek timer couldn't be non-expired because I never gathered those sleeks rod during that logon sessions (as I think).

But, though I do not believe ANY of those scenarios had a plae, don't you think it's by design and should work like that and shouldn't be brought to the bugboard, or at least discussed here (without getting trolled from the immstaff)?
42116, The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. nt
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
nt
42125, thats by design yo
Posted by laxman on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
it fires when its not there sometimes so that if you didn't know it was a wand location you get a heads up, even though it is currently empty.
42108, It's by design
Posted by Zulghinlour on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>I never said I don't like current system. I said that I NEVER
>experienced anything like this and it NEVER worked as I've
>reported.

Then perhaps you should figure out what you've done & changed to make the system affect you as it has.

>If you want to say it by design (and for years I never had it)
>and nothing changed... I really feel sorry for you.

It is by design, and what's happening is your fault. End of story.
42109, Thanks for the answer, Zulg.
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Good answer without trolling and flood.

Now, instead of thinking it's buggy and arguing, I'll look deeper into it and will try to realise what wrong I did.

Wish I Daervyn's family crew would give such answers instead of playing hard-boiled supercool almighty troll-gods.
42110, RE: Thanks for the answer, Zulg.
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>Wish I Daervyn's family crew would give such answers instead
>of playing hard-boiled supercool almighty troll-gods.

You got an answer along those lines, the first time you complained.

You don't get that kind of courtesy the tenth time.
42111, RE: Thanks for the answer, Zulg.
Posted by N b M on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
What about the twentieth?

Sorry, obligatory troll post.
42113, Then that shows your failing
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I work in IT. If the same person asks me the same question 10 times, then the blame lands partially on me for not taking the time to make sure they understand why something was going wrong. You obviously understand something that they don't. Given your vast knowledge, the only information you choose to share is "Working as intended. By design."

I wasn't there, so I don't know what the context of the complaint. Maybe your patience has really been tried. God knows I've had more than my fair share of headaches trying to show people that the error isn't in the machine. Here, you don't have to play nice, obviously, but you could have stopped a lot of this by complaint number 5.

Here's some spoon-feeding: "Yep. Working as intended. This is a hard puzzle and I can't share the secrets, but maybe re-examine your methods. If those methods fail, try more. Keep it up, though, and you'll eventually get it. Also, seek out some allies you've seen with sleeks and RP them up to see how they solved it."

...or resort to snide comments like the one you just posted because it helps players and makes them feel better about playing your game. And yes, this is directed to both Zulgh and Daevryn because you both have tendencies to respond this way.
42114, RE: Then that shows your failing
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>Here, you
>don't have to play nice, obviously, but you could have stopped
>a lot of this by complaint number 5.

How? A few responses like the one you list didn't work.

In my professional life I'll explain the same thing politely ten times. With my kids, same thing. For my hobby, no. You have to be reasonable and mostly nice to me to get the same back for long.
42118, RE: Then that shows your failing
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
I can understand explaining the same thing to your kids 10 times because they're still trying to grasp the world, but I can't abide telling someone professionally the same thing over and over again. I'll explain things politely the first time, but if they ask me again, I make them take notes so that they can put it in a language they understand. If they have work they want me to do, I'll walk them through the process, but it comes down to them doing it (if it's something I feel they should be doing).

For your hobby, the only difference should be in how willing you are to tolerate someone's incompetence. You want to be an ass or an elitist snob, that's fine. Keep in mind, though, that you're still in politics to some degree and the bigger a jerk you are to people, the less they'll appreciate the effort and work you put into your hobby.

Also, here, you're basically a coder (that's a good thing!). Most people don't understand what the hell it is you do, but you can do awesome, amazing things to create an end product. Your tools, toys, gadgets, and widgets make the game more fun, but if the product isn't user-friendly enough for people to understand, you're going to have problems. You either need to redesign the product, redesign the instructions to use it, or let it fall into obsolescence (where no one will appreciate your genius). If I were you, I'd be using my creativity to find a way for him (and people like him) to answer their own complaints.

Or don't and we'll just revisit this scenario in 6 months.
42119, RE: Then that shows your failing
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Long story short, I think as a staff (if maybe not always me specifically) we're pretty tolerant of questions, even repeat questions, but it's possible for a given player to be abrasive, uncooperative, and/or unsportsmanlike enough for long enough that they no longer get much in the way of patience, and I think that's most of the story in this case.

It's also possible and there are lots of historical examples of a player changing their attitude and subsequently rehabilitating their relationship with the staff.

But short of wielding the ban commands more liberally I don't think there's exactly a code or automated solution that gets people to stop being an asshole to me long before I feel compelled to be one in return.
42123, Example:
Posted by Twist on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
1: "This car you've given me to drive for free doesn't work properly. When I step on the pedal to the far left, it should brake, but it doesn't. Stepping on the pedal next to that does not accelerate, as it should. Also there is a third pedal to the right of the pedal that should be the accelerator, which is unnecessary."

2: "That is by design. The car you've been given to drive is called a stick shift. The pedals are clutch, brake, accelerator, from left to right. You're simply doing it wrong."

1: "I do not like how that works, nor do I understand it, nor do I care to try to figure it out on my own. Clearly your car is designed wrong, and you should reconfigure it the way that I want it."

2: "That isn't going to happen. You'll have to try driving the car and learn by doing. It'll be time consuming, but once you've learned it, you'll probably become comfortable with it."

1: "Unacceptable! You must devote some of your time to instruct me on the use of this ridiculous conveyance that in no way resembles a car, since you unreasonably refuse to make it like a car that I want!"

2: "That is also not going to happen. I've explained as much as I have time for. Also I do not appreciate your attitude. If you do not wish to use the car, that is your choice."

1: "I demand justice! You clearly do not care whether I drive this car or not! You refuse to change it when it CLEARLY does not work right, and now you refuse to instruct me on how to use it?!?"

2: "That pretty much sums it up, yes."

1: "I must speak with someone else, you are ENTIRELY UNREASONABLE!!"

3: "The car works as it does by design. The car you've been given to drive is called a stick shift. The pedals are clutch, brake, accelerator, from left to right. You're simply doing it wrong."

1: "Thank you, person 3, you are an entirely reasonable and sane person. I will endeavor to learn the complexities of this 'stick shift' as you call it. If only someone had provided me with this sort of feedback earlier, this whole episode could have been avoided."

2: *facepalm*
42127, I laughed so hard at this...nt
Posted by Onewingedangel on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
this is not the post you're looking for
42130, Problem is, you didn't.
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
You probably live in the world of illusions and think that you answered to the question, but wake up already, wipe sand from your godly eyes and look at the things again.

Between this:

---

An Immortal tells you 'AT least up to the one where your rod popped and I realized I was wasting my time.

An Immortal tells you 'They don't work the way you think they work. That's pretty much always the answer for EVERY complaint you have.'

---

And Zulg's answer: there is a puzzle, go solve it, you didn't notice something,


ARE HUGE DIFFERENCE.

If you wouldn't be full of self-confidence and biased, you probably would understand that all this flood is a result of your incompetence, impolite manners and your style of interractoin with players that you dislike.
42136, The problem with this
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Is that you regularly post/pray #### like this. You've become "that guy." The nuisance. Become less of a bother and you'll get more help when you might legitimately have a problem, of which this is not one.
42140, And the problem with this
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Is that help like this shouldn't be limited to whether or not someone is a nuisance in the past because then it becomes completely subjective. He was frustrated by a really hard puzzle and people handle their frustration in different ways. In this case, he arguably went overboard and instead of trying to get him to think about the puzzle differently, people gave him what he perceived as cryptic, unhelpful replies. That seems to be the status quo for the staff - it's not about good customer service experience, it's about telling people to #### off because the game is free and this is just a hobby for everyone.
42148, RE: And the problem with this
Posted by Malakhi on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
"By design" has been used on the bug board for years, and no one has had a problem with it. Now, suddenly, you and Explosion thinks "by design" has some nefarious meaning and needs to be softened into something more palatable for people who think there is a bug. It is extremely unreasonable to expect someone to take 50 minutes to craft a lengthy, individualized response like the ones you suggest to each person that posts a bug to the bug board or sends up a pray in game because someone thinks "by design" is too impersonal and harsh for their feelings.

And suppose you said, well it only took me five minutes to write my very flowery response. Well, how long until your boilerplate response is viewed as condescending and flippant by one player like Explosion and he starts spamming you with prays in game and spamming the forum saying won't accept it's "by design" or "working as intended"?

Here's a suggestion: if you think that now, despite years of use, "by design" is insufficient to convey something is not a bug, is working as intended, and the user needs to figure out the "puzzle" on how to use it, why don't you spend your time writing up a detailed FAQ with all the potential "customer service" boilerplate responses that "by design" could convey and suggest it be added to the forum so Zulg or whoever can link to it whenever they say "by design" when answering a bug report.

Because right now, when Zulg and Daev are already spending a ####load of time going through minus of backdated bug reports, and I think we should be thanking them with extreme prejudice rather than requestin they find a more palatable way of saying "by design" that is individual and tailored to each bug request.

Also, maybe you could write a more clear FAQ explaining that it is not OK to spam the forums with the same request, too, as some people seem to think that's not against the rules.

If you are looking for a way to help, that might be more productive.
42149, RE: And the problem with this
Posted by BaronMySoul on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Look Malakhi, this isn't the first time I feel that you completely misunderstand what I'm saying. The problem is the attitude, not the phrase. So, feel free to respond to that.

I'd be more than happy to help with anything. That's part of why I spend *my* free time trying to make tools that people will find useful. I have a whole website dedicated to it. I also did thank Zulgh for his work. I said I appreciated the effort that he puts in. That doesn't mean, though, that I won't say that his attitude is #### regarding this issue. He's got a thankless job for his hobby. Tough. We all do. What it boils down to is the same thing as always: players feel there is an imbalance and rather than assuage people, the response is "tough ####, go play something else". Players will only take that for so long.

And let me make this *very* clear for you, Malakhi, so there is *no* confusion as to what I am saying: I don't care about the wand system. Explosion does. I have a problem with the same thing I have always had a problem with and will continue to have a problem with until things change. The attitudes specifically of Daevryn, Zulgh, Rayihn, and you (to a small degree) suck. I don't bitch at y'all until I see those attitudes come out.
42151, RE: And the problem with this
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
How much energy would you put into pleasing someone who only had negative things to say, always and forever?

I don't put a fraction as much time into CF as I used to, mostly because I got tired of people's #### and the small subset of the playerbase that you just cannot make happy no matter what. Your "Players will only take that for so long" goes both ways.
42153, You're rapidly approaching (if you haven't already hit)...
Posted by Twist on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
...the area where you had your last meltdown and sent insulting emails to the immstaff, and afterward apologized profusely.

I don't really have a dog in this particular fight. But I think you should go look at your posts (just yours, not what you're replying to) and check out the tone.

You're actually being argued with by players. The one guy who agrees with you is Explosion, who is the one who feels wronged in the first place.

You may want to consider not posting for a while. Just sayin'.
42156, RE: And the problem with this
Posted by Malakhi on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
This isn't about the wand system. It's about something he thought was a bug, and refused to accept it is "by design".

And my point is the words "by design" don't convey an attitude, they convey a meaning. For years we have all seen those words as an answer, a confirmation that things are working as intended and we need to use the tool within that framework. There is a send of immediate finality to the words "by design" even if the design ends up changing years down the road. This one guy could not grasp the meaning of "by design" - he only saw an "elitist attitude".

I think you are bootstrapping this into something more than it is because you have a customer service related agenda. IMO this particular topic is a poor fit for your agenda.
42150, Welcome to real life
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
People do not have infinite patience. You seem to think not only that they do, but that they should.

You seem to believe that Explosion is some kind of victim here. That the MAN is keeping him down with their craziness, ignoring that everyone else has figured it out to some degree.

He's an entitled douche that wants to create butthurt (as he has with you, apparently) over a perceived slight because he refuses to take "by design" like everyone else does.
42146, You think you will have castable barrier now?
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
No, you are wrong, but you are doing well. Keep it up and, eventually, you will have it too!
42143, RE: Problem is, you didn't.
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
>ARE HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Yes, and if that was the first or even the fifth time you brought it up, you would have a point.
42145, Hallucinations are getting worse?
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Let's count.

I've prayed three times in three different days (I think once per day), only because I didn't got reply (I've been praying at nighttime).

I've posted one log, and nothing happened. I've posted second bunch of logs after you trolled me in game, since I thought you didn't believe me.

I've created topic here about DA (only once, I think, and topic was removed).

Know difference between you and high-quality imm/administrator/developer? They never go down to insult players, like you do, and they never go into whining about players (who are spending years of their lives on your game) just because they don't understand how it works, or don't understand why it works like that and asking questions. Bleh on you.
42147, I'm done with you for a while. (n/t)
Posted by Daevryn on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
.
42120, Maybe
Posted by incognito on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Or maybe it shows the guy just expects too much.

For example, I'd like my IT to run more smoothly. Am I going to keep asking IT for the gazillionth time why it still crashes? No. Because I know they've looked into it and are aware of the issue.

Also, it isn't necessarily the explainer's fault if the listener can't understand him. It could be that the listener simply isn't able to grasp a concept. For example, a lot of people simply can't get their heads around general relativity.
42129, You are totally correct.
Posted by Explosion on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
Thats the difference between good game design and ####ty cloudy design.

Good game design = obvious and intuitive. Player eother understands logic of the functionality, or that it's a puzzle he have to solve it by himself.

####ty game design = players are confused, logic isn't working and they can't understand WHY it's not working.

Unfortunately, imms aren't game designers. They are good coders, sometimes good writers, but they absolutely do not understand basics of game design. And every time someone points it to them they are getting pissed off, arguing and trolling, instead of accept that simple fact and look for ways to improve it (not everyone, but many).
42135, in this case its player, not players. nt
Posted by Artificial on Wed 31-Dec-69 07:00 PM
nt