A not so very Merry Murmas

[stavaroiu]

Am i actually the only one who sees a problem with the gifts from the confused santa?

[quote]Yeah, the tiny few new players who get affected still get a present from Santa. A Big one. Do you know who many morphs, darklings, and other INCREDIBLY rare creatures were given out this year?

Tonnes.[/quote]

How can you possibly give these kind of creatures out like you give out cookies?
You cant get morphs or darklings from anywhere in md.
The windy that was also given out a lot can only be acquired from deep within the wish shop and requires a gg drach + a wishpoint. Even getting your hand on one of them can be considered quite an achievement.

I heard it time and time again about keeping the value of rare creatures and preventing an overflow of these creatures going out to the public and now this?
Isn't this going against everything that was clearly stated before?

Edited December 26, 2011 by stavaroiu

[Seigheart]

You clearly weren't around for the last Christmases either.

I got a Sword Shade last year. And a Tutorial Shade the year before that.

These creatures become commmon so to speak over Christmas.

[Fire Starter]

Another point of view, and a question in the same time: What happens to the ones, to which it was said that they are granted a gift, but it's nowhere to be found? And Santa was so confused, he failed to answer where exactly it was hidden - north, south, east west, under or on top of the tree... Yes, I am refering to me. If there are others, please feel free to join me.

[Sasha Lilias]

Mur himself has stated that creatures will slowly become more commonly available to all.

~Sasha

[BFH]

[quote name='Sasha Lilias' timestamp='1324916569' post='98669']
BFH, when I said a "few" I meant as in the few that create the alts to abuse. (Not long ago the tree was available for ALL, and was never

As for your comment on the "unbiased santa", do you really think Mur would just let some random person do it without actually giving them a few tools and knowledge on the game first? So "come on" BFH!

~Sasha
[/quote]

Thanks for proving my point sasha. Was never what? abused? A BIG LOL to that. For years as I said it was abused, because it was available to ALL, new accounts, alts, mains. So sasha you are smart. Calculate how many accounts can be created in just a few hours to abuse tree, calculate how many alts I can login to abuse tree. Consider the fact that if I know the tree won't have any requirements I'll create alts before hand. Come On!

A few would create alts, yes in your world.

It was fixed last year and I Give a BIG Applause to that!

--

And do you think little knowledge helps in something? Mur can't take that person and tell them this account was bad, this did that and the other. moreover, what will happen when that person get stuck.

"Excuse me, I don't know anything of what I'm giving, just a few, I'll be back in an hour!"

[quote name='Fire Starter' timestamp='1324917031' post='98673']
Another point of view, and a question in the same time: What happens to the ones, to which it was said that they are granted a gift, but it's nowhere to be found? And Santa was so confused, he failed to answer where exactly it was hidden - north, south, east west, under or on top of the tree... Yes, I am refering to me. If there are others, please feel free to join me.
[/quote]

According to all said, i think santa sent the gift by PM. if that is what you mean.

[quote name='Sasha Lilias' timestamp='1324916569' post='98669']
BFH, when I said a "few" I meant as in the few that create the alts to abuse. (Not long ago the tree was available for ALL, and was never actually specified that alts were not allowed to use until in recent years, so many would use their already made alts to get the rewards.)

[/quote]


Since you changed it >> or perhaps did not finished it before pressing enter I'll share my opinion to your new point again.

Still the same, imagine ALL the abuses . Now, even worst abuses can occur. Remember your "coins" thread long ago, and the reply it was given. Consider it and you will surelly realize alts shoul get anything. Requirement was needed and IS needed.

I still go for the option: "NO GIFTS FOR ANYONE!"

[Sasha Lilias]

Do you think the abuses would continue if STRICT rules were set in place? Firm and clear warnings need to be set and IF those are broken the BIG penalties need to be implemented. Jail, Bans, etc. I am sure there are people that are able to check these things?

In my eyes the Active Days requirement is a very....lazy...way of preventing alt abuse.

~Sasha

[BFH]

[quote name='Sasha Lilias' timestamp='1324918461' post='98677']
Do you think the abuses would continue if STRICT rules were set in place? Firm and clear warnings need to be set and IF those are broken the BIG penalties need to be implemented. Jail, Bans, etc. I am sure there are people that are able to check these things?

In my eyes the Active Days requirement is a very....lazy...way of preventing alt abuse.

~Sasha
[/quote]

Yes sasha, people are available to check such things. But as I said, Council is flooded, dst new role might be useful, but for a huge number of alts we would see more complains because I;m sure there will be massive bans. Abuses can happen very fast, and if the person is smart enough, checks aren't even enough.

Problem is that if I explain in details I should bann myself, becuase I would give away keys to abuse.

------
[quote]In my eyes the Active Days requirement is a very....lazy...way of preventing alt abuse.[/quote]

Yet, it's a way to prevent the abuse before happening and that is what is needed. Why we should allow abuses to happen when we can prevent them?

Santa was the solution to those who couldn't access the tree.


As another solution:
[list]
[*]Make the gifts given by tree and santa non transferable. (And many will complain "Why we can't do whatever we wish with our gifts."
[/list]

[Sasha Lilias]

I am no coder or programmer but even I know that there are other ways of checking and preventing alt abuse.

Alt abuse should be tackled from the root, not the offspring. I know from my experiences, that I'm not proud of, that alt abuse can only be stopped by tackling all the accounts, not just the one in the wrong. There MUST be ways of checking for alts and punishing them and the main.

[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Yes sasha, people are available to check such things. But as I said, Council is flooded, dst new role might be useful, but for a huge number of alts we would see more complains because I;m sure there will be massive bans.[/quote][/font][/color]

[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]I am sure more jobs can be given to help monitor and prevent the abuse. [/color][/font]

[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]~Sasha[/color][/font]

[Fyrd Argentus]

How about finding an active day limit that is more forgiving? A lot of active non-alts seem to have been shut out with the current setting.

[dst]

Have you ever thought that maybe some abuses are actually allowed? My "new" role is not new at all. Last year tree was a DISASTER. So maaany alts created JUST to get the presents... Then there were the players that logged ONLY to get the presents.
IMO what happened this year is a big step forward. Yes, there were alts and I plan on making a report (if I have enough free time) but the number of abuses is really low compared to what has happened last year and the years before.

Things will improve. I am sure. But such topics really disgust me. Sasha, haven't you learned that the amount of money you "invest" in this game doesn't matter? Haven't you learned that you'll NOT get special treatment just because you're a "paying" member?


LE:more monitor jobs? You think THAT is the solution? No. I can asure you it's not. I know what is needed and hopefully I will soon get it. Trust me, I know how to do my job. And I am good at it even if you don't see it.

Edited December 26, 2011 by dst

[Sasha Lilias]

[quote name='dst' timestamp='1324925623' post='98687']
Things will improve. I am sure. But such topics really disgust me. Sasha, haven't you learned that the amount of money you "invest" in this game doesn't matter? Haven't you learned that you'll NOT get special treatment just because you're a "paying" member?
[/quote]

I don't expect a "special treatment", but I would have thought that it would have been taken into account as much as a players age?
As I said before, I don't pay just for the "AMAZING POWER-UPS AND CREATURES" WOOO! No. I pay to see the game continue better than if it were just surviving on adverts and Mur's own money. I'm sure many others do as well.
"Care and care alike". We show care to the game, and the game should care for us, even if we do have negative comments to make at times. You may despise these "sorts of topics" but many others don't, it allows people to speak when they normally wouldn't.

[quote name='dst' timestamp='1324925623' post='98687']
LE:more monitor jobs? You think THAT is the solution? No. I can asure you it's not. I know what is needed and hopefully I will soon get it. Trust me, I know how to do my job. And I am good at it even if you don't see it.[/quote]

There are many answers I could give to you here, but I think I will give the nicest;

You may not have noticed but I have mentioned your name a lot in this topic, when talking about needing investigative skills. Do you not think that may be for a reason? Hm?

[Kyphis the Bard]

Personally, the method that I would like to see to avoid Abuse actually uses the current restriction as its base element.

I would like to see the tree give a dialogue when first clicked, saying that the tree has an active days % requirement, and whether or not you meet it (but not necessarily what it is).
I would then like it to explain the following based on which applies:[list]
[*]If your account does not meet the active days requirement, then you can still access the tree from this account, however no other accounts flagged a your alt will be able to use the tree this year. (ie "You may still access the tree on this account, however you will not be able to access it on any other accounts until next year")
[*]It your account does meet the requirement, then you can access the tree on this account, as well as any others that also meet the requirement that are flagged as your alt, however none of the accounts that are flagged as your alt and do NOT meet the requirement.
[/list]
I would then also like it to ask you whether you will proceed, or decline.

This solution gives players who have many truly active alts the option to get presents for them all (which is the point of the current check) as well as allowing players who have left for long periods to still be able to join in.
It doesn't fix the abuse of people creating alts and keeping them active all year, however this problem is not a new one and is the same as the current abuse.

I think that this method is a simple way to make the process more fair, and while it won't reduce abuse it also won't increase it. It will however mean that more real accounts are able to get presents.


Obviously dst has an idea to solve this issue, however while I applaud her insight into how to proceed, she has made it obvious she isn't planning on making her solution public in the immediate future. I think a transparent solution would be preferable for the majority of people, hence my suggestion.

[Chewett]

[quote name='Sasha Lilias' timestamp='1324919729' post='98679']
I am no coder or programmer but even I know that there are other ways of checking and preventing alt abuse.

Alt abuse should be tackled from the root, not the offspring. I know from my experiences, that I'm not proud of, that alt abuse can only be stopped by tackling all the accounts, not just the one in the wrong. There MUST be ways of checking for alts and punishing them and the main.

[/font][/color]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]I am sure more jobs can be given to help monitor and prevent the abuse. [/color][/font]

[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828]~Sasha[/color][/font]
[/quote]

If stricter punishment and such were implemented previous you would not be here sasha, remember that. You have been banned... at least 2? Maybe even 3 times for WP abuse amoung alts. Not to mention all the other things.

The system works to be quite honest, People like you have the chance to be forgiven and play a good part in MD. Asking for harsher punishment, dealing with alts, and such is foolish.

The tree rewards based on activity, perhaps if it were changed to activity over the previous year it would be fairer, i know people who have played all year, but joined when i started, meaning they have no hope of ever getting a reward. But overall the tree works. Last year was a nightmare the first day, i was attempting to keep track of alts, and had a MASSIVE list of people who had traded shades to their mains, Even vets HELPING, them do this. This year this has been drastically reduced, and i am very happy about that.

[Sasha Lilias]

[quote name='Chewett' timestamp='1324940481' post='98718']

If stricter punishment and such were implemented previous you would not be here sasha, remember that. You have been banned... at least 2? Maybe even 3 times for WP abuse amoung alts. Not to mention all the other things.

The system works to be quite honest, People like you have the chance to be forgiven and play a good part in MD. Asking for harsher punishment, dealing with alts, and such is foolish.

The tree rewards based on activity, perhaps if it were changed to activity over the previous year it would be fairer, i know people who have played all year, but joined when i started, meaning they have no hope of ever getting a reward. But overall the tree works. Last year was a nightmare the first day, i was attempting to keep track of alts, and had a MASSIVE list of people who had traded shades to their mains, Even vets HELPING, them do this. This year this has been drastically reduced, and i am very happy about that.
[/quote]

The banning is exactly what is needed! I'm not meaning Ip bans, three year bans, etc. That would be ludicrous! As for my actions, there is no point in crying in spilt milk. I have said my apologies, and have tried to do right since. It is through my experience that I can say we need harsher punishment for things like the tree and WP's.

Anyway, we are going on a tangent from my main point. I want to know what you see as a truly "Active and loyal" player.

~Sasha