I came to PG last September. And, a couple of things have always made me feel less than comfortable since my arrival.
1.) Why are GM's allowed to lead double lives, as GM's and as Players? And, as GM's acting as Players appear to be either Clan Commanders or Upper Ranking Clan Members, don't these same people have full knowledge of activities by their clans and members? What I am suggesting, and I am not suggesting the current GM's but past GM's, have had full knowledge of everything going on. Now, I am not suggesting unlawful conduct by GM's. I am simply pointing out that GM's from the onset of this game were charged with the responsibility of shaping the game. And, deception was used in this effort. But, that is part of the Internet. Most sites/games populate by use of employees or agents acting as users/players to demonstrate activity to attract users/players. So, why are GM's still running clans and continuing deception within the game?
2.) Hacks and/or Developers Cheat Codes have been in use since before I arrived, and have been used with full knowledge of GM's. I recall an incident a few months back where a player attempted to acheive a top warscore and by some miracle an opposing player was able to acheive an exorbitant lead on the first player in a really short time frame. I searched high and low throughout the entire game for the second player to be grinding away full scale on 20 Harvesters at a time to acheive such a dramatic increase over the other player, and never found the second player on a planet at all. Control of the "Ladder" has not changed since I started playing this game. And, you cannot even suggest that GM's were not aware of this.
3.) Hacks and/or Developers Cheat Codes in use during Cq's are and have always been in use. I cannot recall a single Cq in which there was combat, not asking myself "How is that player able to withstand such a severe beating, while my equal ship is podded in three shots?" The answer is simple, and there is no way GM's were not knowledgable of such use. What, you really thought that other player that superior to you in playing the game? Don't kid yourself, lag being as severe as it is somebody has to get to the front to pull the rest of us there.
4.) System Lag that cost Players unreasonable expense appears to be an acceptable occurrence in this game. Recently, we ventured into SOL. If you were/are fortunate enough to have the firepower and the local bandwidth to lessen lag, you were provided a chance at a fair game. But, if not one of the fortunate few, you were stuck playing missions over and over, and over again in hopes of completion of the mission. Have you sit back with your calculator and calculated the actual expense this is to you? Even if you are a Free Player, calculate the energy loss for each event during the mission. Every time you shot your blaster, used your repair droid, afterburners, fired a rocket, or any other action you take that sucks away at your ships energy during a mission . . . is an expense to you. Add your energy usage for that mission to the cost of repair at the hanger, any energy usage trying to hyperthrust back to collect your lost crystals on the planet, and multiply it by the amount of attempts made for the mission. Then, go see how much it would cost you to replace that much energy at the prices in the "Item Shop" to see how much it is costing you. Be prepared to be displeased with the result. I have attempted numerous missions in which upwards of a dozen attempts failed. And, then later after "restart" when lag is less and fewer players in game, been able to complete the mission or make significant progress in a single attempt. So, why am I stuck being charged over and over again because the game is on a less than capable server? As a "paying member" I have certain expectations and the game maker certain responsbilities for provision of a reasonable game environment.
5.) The changing of system settings to provide a slower game has not been done in a manner conducive to fairness to the consumer. From the very first day that I started playing this game, the game maker has without any consideration being shown the consumer, made changes to the game. When I purchased my first game membership, the game settings were at a certain point. That point is what I paid for. I did not give you my money for you to change all the parameters of the game, after I paid you. That is similar to purchasing a nice sports car, painted bright red . . . and after paying for it getting a old white station-wagon delivered without recourse. Now, I am a reasonable consumer and realize the need for bug fixes and other necessary programming changes. But, changes that impact a level playing field within the game and/or changes that dramatically increase my costs to play the game, are neither reasonable, nor acceptable in my opinion. The game maker has a responsibility to provide me what I paid for. I could care less if the game maker wants to slow game progression of the game to suit their needs, I just don't want it to cost me more money without so much as a concern for my wallet.
The point I am trying to make with the preceding, is that some serious finger pointing has occurred, affecting the player base of this game. Use of hacks and/or game cheats started way back in the beginning and with GM knowledge. The game maker themselves have created reason for consumer concerns over pricing and practices, and suddenly someone decides it is okay to ban a significant amount of the playing membership from the game without taking responsibility for how the problem began and their lack of concern for the issue at that time. The game system has been demonstrated insecure and numerous players subjected to hacks that affect their money and/or make them suspect of wrong-doings, and regardless anybody else's opinion I believe too heavy a hand has been laid upon the matter, allowing no reasonable recourse for anybody to object to the actions taken short of a court of law. This is a game. And, it is a game in which player interaction is probably 50% of the reason for playing the game and probably a bigger percentage of why I pay for membership into the game.
SplitScreen you just took over running the game. You have not corrected the problem but created a probability of a different problem. Look at it this way . . . I hate Miike (yes, dislike him in earnest) but removal of him from the game, robs me of a key element of the game. My clan had every belief that hacks and/or cheats were being used against us, and were taking measures to acheive victory against him. And, intended to do so without use of hack or cheat. With the exception of my lack of love for the aforementioned, even adversary's within this game are friends. Your actions are subjecting my friends and enemies to removal from the game, some of which I know to be victims of this issue, regardless of what your logs and evidence tell you.
While I do not condone use of hacks or cheats in this game, the game maker and all of the parties invloved in management of the game up to this point have to accept a portion of the responsibility for the game being where it is today. And, I support the game maker having the right to decide what action to take in this matter, provided they know all the facts, and do not disrupt my enjoyment of the game. And, SplitScreen you do not know all the relative facts and you are seriously impacting my enjoyment of the game. Who cares if a bunch of players hacked the game and got themselves a Parsec? The Parsec was a "sucker-ploy" to make money in the first place. The Parsec is a dog, usless unless given significant improvement in the second place, and an easy indicator that system security requires improvement, in the third place. While SplitScreen may not recognize their need to resolve the issue in a more reasonable manner, I (the paying consumer) do see the need for different resolution if I am to continue to enjoy my game.
datajam
1.) Why are GM's allowed to lead double lives, as GM's and as Players? And, as GM's acting as Players appear to be either Clan Commanders or Upper Ranking Clan Members, don't these same people have full knowledge of activities by their clans and members? What I am suggesting, and I am not suggesting the current GM's but past GM's, have had full knowledge of everything going on. Now, I am not suggesting unlawful conduct by GM's. I am simply pointing out that GM's from the onset of this game were charged with the responsibility of shaping the game. And, deception was used in this effort. But, that is part of the Internet. Most sites/games populate by use of employees or agents acting as users/players to demonstrate activity to attract users/players. So, why are GM's still running clans and continuing deception within the game?
2.) Hacks and/or Developers Cheat Codes have been in use since before I arrived, and have been used with full knowledge of GM's. I recall an incident a few months back where a player attempted to acheive a top warscore and by some miracle an opposing player was able to acheive an exorbitant lead on the first player in a really short time frame. I searched high and low throughout the entire game for the second player to be grinding away full scale on 20 Harvesters at a time to acheive such a dramatic increase over the other player, and never found the second player on a planet at all. Control of the "Ladder" has not changed since I started playing this game. And, you cannot even suggest that GM's were not aware of this.
3.) Hacks and/or Developers Cheat Codes in use during Cq's are and have always been in use. I cannot recall a single Cq in which there was combat, not asking myself "How is that player able to withstand such a severe beating, while my equal ship is podded in three shots?" The answer is simple, and there is no way GM's were not knowledgable of such use. What, you really thought that other player that superior to you in playing the game? Don't kid yourself, lag being as severe as it is somebody has to get to the front to pull the rest of us there.
4.) System Lag that cost Players unreasonable expense appears to be an acceptable occurrence in this game. Recently, we ventured into SOL. If you were/are fortunate enough to have the firepower and the local bandwidth to lessen lag, you were provided a chance at a fair game. But, if not one of the fortunate few, you were stuck playing missions over and over, and over again in hopes of completion of the mission. Have you sit back with your calculator and calculated the actual expense this is to you? Even if you are a Free Player, calculate the energy loss for each event during the mission. Every time you shot your blaster, used your repair droid, afterburners, fired a rocket, or any other action you take that sucks away at your ships energy during a mission . . . is an expense to you. Add your energy usage for that mission to the cost of repair at the hanger, any energy usage trying to hyperthrust back to collect your lost crystals on the planet, and multiply it by the amount of attempts made for the mission. Then, go see how much it would cost you to replace that much energy at the prices in the "Item Shop" to see how much it is costing you. Be prepared to be displeased with the result. I have attempted numerous missions in which upwards of a dozen attempts failed. And, then later after "restart" when lag is less and fewer players in game, been able to complete the mission or make significant progress in a single attempt. So, why am I stuck being charged over and over again because the game is on a less than capable server? As a "paying member" I have certain expectations and the game maker certain responsbilities for provision of a reasonable game environment.
5.) The changing of system settings to provide a slower game has not been done in a manner conducive to fairness to the consumer. From the very first day that I started playing this game, the game maker has without any consideration being shown the consumer, made changes to the game. When I purchased my first game membership, the game settings were at a certain point. That point is what I paid for. I did not give you my money for you to change all the parameters of the game, after I paid you. That is similar to purchasing a nice sports car, painted bright red . . . and after paying for it getting a old white station-wagon delivered without recourse. Now, I am a reasonable consumer and realize the need for bug fixes and other necessary programming changes. But, changes that impact a level playing field within the game and/or changes that dramatically increase my costs to play the game, are neither reasonable, nor acceptable in my opinion. The game maker has a responsibility to provide me what I paid for. I could care less if the game maker wants to slow game progression of the game to suit their needs, I just don't want it to cost me more money without so much as a concern for my wallet.
The point I am trying to make with the preceding, is that some serious finger pointing has occurred, affecting the player base of this game. Use of hacks and/or game cheats started way back in the beginning and with GM knowledge. The game maker themselves have created reason for consumer concerns over pricing and practices, and suddenly someone decides it is okay to ban a significant amount of the playing membership from the game without taking responsibility for how the problem began and their lack of concern for the issue at that time. The game system has been demonstrated insecure and numerous players subjected to hacks that affect their money and/or make them suspect of wrong-doings, and regardless anybody else's opinion I believe too heavy a hand has been laid upon the matter, allowing no reasonable recourse for anybody to object to the actions taken short of a court of law. This is a game. And, it is a game in which player interaction is probably 50% of the reason for playing the game and probably a bigger percentage of why I pay for membership into the game.
SplitScreen you just took over running the game. You have not corrected the problem but created a probability of a different problem. Look at it this way . . . I hate Miike (yes, dislike him in earnest) but removal of him from the game, robs me of a key element of the game. My clan had every belief that hacks and/or cheats were being used against us, and were taking measures to acheive victory against him. And, intended to do so without use of hack or cheat. With the exception of my lack of love for the aforementioned, even adversary's within this game are friends. Your actions are subjecting my friends and enemies to removal from the game, some of which I know to be victims of this issue, regardless of what your logs and evidence tell you.
While I do not condone use of hacks or cheats in this game, the game maker and all of the parties invloved in management of the game up to this point have to accept a portion of the responsibility for the game being where it is today. And, I support the game maker having the right to decide what action to take in this matter, provided they know all the facts, and do not disrupt my enjoyment of the game. And, SplitScreen you do not know all the relative facts and you are seriously impacting my enjoyment of the game. Who cares if a bunch of players hacked the game and got themselves a Parsec? The Parsec was a "sucker-ploy" to make money in the first place. The Parsec is a dog, usless unless given significant improvement in the second place, and an easy indicator that system security requires improvement, in the third place. While SplitScreen may not recognize their need to resolve the issue in a more reasonable manner, I (the paying consumer) do see the need for different resolution if I am to continue to enjoy my game.
datajam