Forums » General
Identifying guides that affect players.
Any guide that uses guide powers to produce any direct effect on a player, should be identifiable by a guide number.
In many cases, this is already so. But in some cases, guides may intentionally avoid identification.
They may use guide weapons or ships under an unknown alias to effect other players. they may use warp to travel around the galaxy to pursue players. they may grant certain players special abilities that are then directed at another player.
If I check a character's status, I should be able to see if they are in anyway not under the normal rules of game play, or have any equipment not available without guide intervention. and such indications should be accompanied by a guide number.
It would be nice if all guide where honest enuf to perform all their actions openly and with proper identification. but we are past that point now, and we now obviously need a method to keep the guides honest.
A note to the guides: I believe that many of you are honest, and I do hope that you take great offense to this post. Carefully consider where that offense should be directed.
In many cases, this is already so. But in some cases, guides may intentionally avoid identification.
They may use guide weapons or ships under an unknown alias to effect other players. they may use warp to travel around the galaxy to pursue players. they may grant certain players special abilities that are then directed at another player.
If I check a character's status, I should be able to see if they are in anyway not under the normal rules of game play, or have any equipment not available without guide intervention. and such indications should be accompanied by a guide number.
It would be nice if all guide where honest enuf to perform all their actions openly and with proper identification. but we are past that point now, and we now obviously need a method to keep the guides honest.
A note to the guides: I believe that many of you are honest, and I do hope that you take great offense to this post. Carefully consider where that offense should be directed.
This old chestnut.
If you have an actual, specific complaint about any guide, please email the devs. This kind of vague accusation just creates drama and paranoia.
Guide-specific actions are easily tracked as they are logged in a different color in the server logs (which only the devs see) and are also emailed to John on a regular basis.
I am offended because, by posting here instead of going directly to the devs, you have effectively painted me with the same brush as whoever you are accusing.
PLEASE DO NOT post further about what you believe are the details of this issue in the forums. Please DO email the devs directly.
john at guildsoftware dot com
(When you write him, describe the situation in detail - don't just link to this thread.)
If you have an actual, specific complaint about any guide, please email the devs. This kind of vague accusation just creates drama and paranoia.
Guide-specific actions are easily tracked as they are logged in a different color in the server logs (which only the devs see) and are also emailed to John on a regular basis.
I am offended because, by posting here instead of going directly to the devs, you have effectively painted me with the same brush as whoever you are accusing.
PLEASE DO NOT post further about what you believe are the details of this issue in the forums. Please DO email the devs directly.
john at guildsoftware dot com
(When you write him, describe the situation in detail - don't just link to this thread.)
You should be offended.
I'm offended that I ask a guide what guide he is, after a guide power that affects me has been demonstrated, and I am refused an answer. If a guide demonstrates a guide power that affects me, I think I have every right to know that guide's guide number.
While I could direct this to the devs, in reference to a specific complaint. The devs would tend to only deal with that one specific. I would rather have a more long term solution. And in this case, I see the solution is that guides are not entitled to anonymity, while exercising guide powers.
Whistler: if your best response is to make this a private issue, then move this post to a private board. i am doing the painting, but i didn't pick the color of the paint. i would have hoped that the guides would have developed a standard of ethics that would have avoided this situation.
I'm offended that I ask a guide what guide he is, after a guide power that affects me has been demonstrated, and I am refused an answer. If a guide demonstrates a guide power that affects me, I think I have every right to know that guide's guide number.
While I could direct this to the devs, in reference to a specific complaint. The devs would tend to only deal with that one specific. I would rather have a more long term solution. And in this case, I see the solution is that guides are not entitled to anonymity, while exercising guide powers.
Whistler: if your best response is to make this a private issue, then move this post to a private board. i am doing the painting, but i didn't pick the color of the paint. i would have hoped that the guides would have developed a standard of ethics that would have avoided this situation.
Have you emailed John yet?
I'll try to find you in-game. I suspect that you are mistaken, but I'll try to track this down until the devs can have a look
UPDATE: Having spoken to Roda, I am certain that no guide powers were used, that the issue involved a known and fixed ammo exploit, and that no guide was involved at all. Guides cannot alter the effects of weapons.
Also this paragraph is unsupported: "They may use guide weapons or ships under an unknown alias to effect other players. they may use warp to travel around the galaxy to pursue players. they may grant certain players special abilities that are then directed at another player." He knew of no report of this happening, and guides cannot impart "special abilities" beyond what a player would be able to achieve.
THAT'S why I wanted this verified by the devs instead of having a lot of guide-bashing.
I'll try to find you in-game. I suspect that you are mistaken, but I'll try to track this down until the devs can have a look
UPDATE: Having spoken to Roda, I am certain that no guide powers were used, that the issue involved a known and fixed ammo exploit, and that no guide was involved at all. Guides cannot alter the effects of weapons.
Also this paragraph is unsupported: "They may use guide weapons or ships under an unknown alias to effect other players. they may use warp to travel around the galaxy to pursue players. they may grant certain players special abilities that are then directed at another player." He knew of no report of this happening, and guides cannot impart "special abilities" beyond what a player would be able to achieve.
THAT'S why I wanted this verified by the devs instead of having a lot of guide-bashing.
Thank you for investigating this issue whistler.
While what I witness may have been an exploit, and not an actually guide's actions, it still leaves the question, of how do players tell the difference.
If someone claims to be a guide, and then demonstrates abilities that are not the norm for a player, they have effectively impersonated a guide. I am asking for a system to clarify the situation. If all guide's actions are tagged by a guide's id number, then players can better identify the different situations. This could go a long way in protecting the reputation of the guides, and preventing players from getting the wrong impression.
While what I witness may have been an exploit, and not an actually guide's actions, it still leaves the question, of how do players tell the difference.
If someone claims to be a guide, and then demonstrates abilities that are not the norm for a player, they have effectively impersonated a guide. I am asking for a system to clarify the situation. If all guide's actions are tagged by a guide's id number, then players can better identify the different situations. This could go a long way in protecting the reputation of the guides, and preventing players from getting the wrong impression.
So if a guide teleported you to Sedina L-8, there would be something that said "Guide 98 has teleported you to Sedina L-8" in your logs? Fine by me.
/edit: I guess it would actually have to be in everyone's logs globally in order to address the situation you have alluded to. That could detract from the game a bit.
/edit: I guess it would actually have to be in everyone's logs globally in order to address the situation you have alluded to. That could detract from the game a bit.
Frankly, if someone is able to exploit the game in a surprising way, I would prefer if people report it, period. Guide activity is generally supposed to be well-advertised (unless it's administratively dealing with an individual in private). If I'm incognito in the game, I don't even warp around or anything if other people are in the sector.
Guides are volunteer players, and I see no reason to penalize them by forcing them to be identified as a guide on all their characters. We considered giving them specific guide accounts, but then they would have needed to log out and log back in to deal with issues they saw. The simple solution was to have "anonymous" guide messages that identify with a particular number, and allow the guides to do what they need, while still retaining some degree of "alt character" anonymity. If we need to expand on this identification, like saying "Guide-such-and-such has warped you", as Whistler mentions, that's fine by me. But I see no reason to have anything other than the guide number exposed to the general public. Guides are paying customers too, and they like to actually *play* the game, and not be forced into a permanent choice.
Guides are volunteer players, and I see no reason to penalize them by forcing them to be identified as a guide on all their characters. We considered giving them specific guide accounts, but then they would have needed to log out and log back in to deal with issues they saw. The simple solution was to have "anonymous" guide messages that identify with a particular number, and allow the guides to do what they need, while still retaining some degree of "alt character" anonymity. If we need to expand on this identification, like saying "Guide-such-and-such has warped you", as Whistler mentions, that's fine by me. But I see no reason to have anything other than the guide number exposed to the general public. Guides are paying customers too, and they like to actually *play* the game, and not be forced into a permanent choice.
Wow, only Roda could create such a fuss over what the guides do...
Would they even be doing anything to get in your way if you weren't breaking the rules?
Get over yourself. Stop attacking our guides and devs. Stop being a [_CENSORED_], and they'll stop getting in your way.
Would they even be doing anything to get in your way if you weren't breaking the rules?
Get over yourself. Stop attacking our guides and devs. Stop being a [_CENSORED_], and they'll stop getting in your way.
emo slane!
ninny!
ninny!
It's obvious what Roda is doing here... With the recent talk of banning his sorry ass, he is obfuscating the issue by creating another.
Now if any disciplinary action was taken against him for his ridiculous behavior ingame he could point to this as the "reason" he'd be claiming the staff is out to get him.
Pathetic. Roda, quit. Why play a game, why pay for a game, where nobody respects you (due to your own words). Are you really vindictive enough to play this game just to ruin it for others?
Now if any disciplinary action was taken against him for his ridiculous behavior ingame he could point to this as the "reason" he'd be claiming the staff is out to get him.
Pathetic. Roda, quit. Why play a game, why pay for a game, where nobody respects you (due to your own words). Are you really vindictive enough to play this game just to ruin it for others?
:V
Whislter has given me reasons to believe that no guide was involved in the situation that concerned be. The only argument that I have remaining on this issue, is that how am I supposed to know when something is due to a guide, or an exploit. And other than suggestions for securing the reputation of guides, and identifying exploiters, I would be perfectly happy if this thread died.
Basically: if you see something weird and exploitative, report it. You can use "Submit Bug Report" on the left for possible exploits. We'll look up whether it was a guide or not, and if it wasn't, we'll scramble to fix it.
Anyway, nuff said, locking.
Anyway, nuff said, locking.