The Furious Angels
FA Discussion => General => Topic started by: ArchNemesis on March 25, 2005, 10:44:46 pm
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As the title suggests, The mission recycling we have been doing to keep missions in the same building ( as in declining missions until we have it where we want) is now considered an exploit. We are no longer allowed to do this. If i find out more about what else is an exploit about it i'll keep it posted or if anyone else knows please post... since the response from the CSR was rather vague.
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Nice to know and fair enough, back to running all around in districts once again.
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huray, but remember, you guys can play at least.
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Discussion Thread
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Response (mxo.chafe) - 03/25/2005 09:53 PM
Hello jeremy,
This petition has been created to inform you that we witnessed you taking part
in a known exploit. At this time, we are not taking any additional action
except to send you this message. We are continuing to monitor this situation, and
if you are found to be continuing to use this or any other exploit, further
action will be taken.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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I am kinda unhappy with the way they worded this. I feel like now there is a black mark by my name.
It wasn't a known exploit until they came and told us. And what about the next time I am doing something that they later deem an exploit? Would that mean I would have two marks and then they would take 'further action'?
Hmm.. maybe they are role playing. It sounds like something an agent would say.
screenshot image dump here: http://www.dubliminal.net/images/mxo/twitch/
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Thank god. I hated that exploit.
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im glad for an official word on it even tho they changed thier initial stance on it. seems alot of people were doing it as well and didn't consider it an exploit.
http://mxoboards.warnerbros.com/forums1/thread.jspa?threadID=1158&start=15&tstart=0
the system was functioning properly. it was just being choosey about which missions were taken. but at least i can be a healer again! it was boring when i wasn't running mission and having to find something to do. unforgiven, youre no longer the official door opener.
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I didnt really agree with Walrus' post though we were getting missions within 100m not ever did i see a mission spawn within 5 unless it happened in the same building.
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Hmmmn, how about LOSING rep for declining a mission once it starts?
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mmmmm maybe losing rep for every so many? because that would screw over the people who get bugs in their missions every once in a while, especially those trying to start a crew. getting through the criticial missions is a bitch, especially on the stolen artifact when the darn npcs get lost, frozen, or just decide they don't want to follow you anymore, so you lose them and have to start over. =/
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There should be some mild penalty for those that abuse the mission system, like what Grim mentioned above.
I've always said they need to put a blip on the map where your mission is located so that we can at least tell where it is and where the closest hardline is to it. I hate running 2,500m just to get to a mission location, only to die and have to do it all over agian. That's only if u die once.
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Personally, I find this bullshit.
First, didn't someone receive notice that recycling was okay? God I hate people who change their positions after they realize their conciquences.
Secondly, If refusing a mission one time because the full distance is 700m+ wouldn't that be considered an exploit as well? I believe what we were doing was about the same thing. Why have a choice in missions at all? If we can't customize the missions to fit our needs, why begin to do that with what kind of mission it is, the difficulty level it is, and which area we could start it in.
FINALLY, If this was an exploit, why did it take them four days to realize it was? I would think if it was an exploit someone on day one would have gone, "Gee, they are leveling up rather fast!"
I left Planetside for this kind of arbitrary Dev decision making....and I hope MxO doesn't follow suit.
/rant off
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To address this...
None of us have received a black mark by our names. I was not happy when I found out they put notices in all your accounts. I talked it over with them and made sure that they were aware that we were helping them the entire time with the exploit and had been told initially that it was OK to do it.
They agreed and were grateful for us helping them with the matter. They said the petition made was created in a rush and that the wording could have been better. They also said they would make sure that FA would not get a bad name over the matter if it was brought out in the public. In other words, we didn't do anything wrong and we have nothing to worry about. Just avoid doing it until they get the fix in.
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I think that its funny that we came to them and told them this was a possible exploit and they ignored it. Now that some Merv and Machinists complain, its suddenly an exploit. HMMMMMMM. Go figure, do you think that devs are a little biased? I know that it was an exploit of sorts but why they cleared it with us and then later come back and tell us to stop is beyond me. Dont worry, I'm not one to defy orders and i have my honor but this just bugs the hell outta me.
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UPDATE: Aparently today while running missions in International I was stopped by a CSR and my account was suspended for 24 hours because I was 'abusing' the mission system. I was NOT trying to recycle missions to have them spawn in a certain area, I simply was soloing as a spy and was trying to do missions that are not impossible for spies (like missions where I don't have to kill someone). I did recycle missions a little to get the missions that i COULD solo.... but I guess it is against the player guidelines of conduct if you don't accept missions you can't do (I already sent in a ccr but I was in a much nicer tone than this lol, I'm releasing my steam here rather than there).
Anyways... just a heads up that if you abort missions too often then you very well may be watched and then the punish stick will give ya a whack lol :P
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No More Door Opening for others?!?! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Anyway, If recycling is prohibited, doing the same type of mission in the area isn't. Maybe we can strategize the team so we could efficiently complete missions without needing to select through them. What are your thoughts on this?
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Uh ok I asked around and looked a little further into the issue. Aparently they suspended my account because I was 'recycling missions in order to get a mission close to my location' (which isn't true and they ignored me when I stated that was not my intention). The closest mission I had that spawned was about 150m away and they counted that as close enough. I also asked if my flag from the past remained and the CSR that responded wasn't even aware that the flags affected our entire faction, at the moment, no action has been taken to completely remove all of our flags, we can only get lucky by getting a CSR that is aware of the situation.
Because they didn't answer my question, I asked about the situation regarding recycling missions just to get the mission type that I want. I even went as far as giving a descriptive step by step paragraph explaining that I was a spy and wanted to get the missions that I could do and not the ones that would kill me. MxO.chafe didn't have an answer to my question... all he did was point me to the forums where walrus stated this...
MajorYoshi has the gist of it: This isn't a problem with rejecting missions that are far away, it's an abuse problem.
It turns out that there are certain locations within the game where players can continue rejecting a mission until it shows up within 5 to 20 m of their current location. No, we're not talking about getting within a reasonable 100 to 300 m range.
Some players chose a mission building in these spots, then spam the Mission system until they get the mission in the same building or maybe one building away. On certain multi-phase missions, they take the mission, abort after the first phase XP is granted, then spam the system until they get the same mission in the same building. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Because this is a hole in the game design we need to fix, the GMs are simply informing players that using this exploit is not acceptible. However, no one who has been told not to use this exploit should continue to do so.
No one is going to get in trouble for rejecting missions that are exceedingly far away--that is why the Mission system works the way it does. Eventually, you should be able to get a mission location within a reasonable distance. Abusing the system in ways such as I just described, however, isn't acceptible.
So in short..... I STILL don't know if what I was doing is considered right or wrong. I updated the petition to get specific but again I got this.... "Due to the speed with which new exploits can be found, and sometimes fixed, we are not able to create a list of what is and is not allowed. If you are ever unsure whether a particular action could be considered an exploit, please submit a petition and ask a CSR." (Ironic how I asked and didn't get an answer) Oh well.....
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Warning:CSRs are homing in on your location!
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Petition attempt #4
My update
"Hi chafe, Thanks for informing me on what the exploit is about. I am very aware of the current exploit involving mission locations at the edge of a map and respawning in specific nearby buildings because the mission has no where else to branch to. I also understand recycling missions to get them below 100m for a quick mission run is an exploit as well. What I still am unsure of, is if it would be alright to recycle missions to get a specific mission you like (even if the mission was 400+ meters away). Thanks again for the clarification."
Their answer
THE MATRIX ONLINE
GUIDELINES FOR PLAYER CONDUCT
The Matrix Online game and discussion forums are provided to users by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc. ("WBIE") subject to each user's compliance with these Guidelines for Player Conduct ("GPC"), as determined by any WBIE staff members or other agents authorized by WBIE to provide services in connection with The Matrix Online Game, including employees of Warner Bros. Online, Inc., Monolith Productions, Inc. and SEGA Corporation (collectively, "WBIE Personnel"). While playing within the game world of The Matrix Online and/or using the official discussion forums for The Matrix Online, no user shall:
1. Use foul language against another user, as determined by WBIE Personnel.
2. Use sexually explicit language, as determined by WBIE Personnel.
3. Use hate speech including, but not limited to, ethnic slurs, sexual slurs and religious epithets, as determined by WBIE Personnel.
4. Harass and/or threaten other users or WBIE Personnel.
5. Use excessive "shouting" (use of all caps) or "flood/spam" (continuous posting of repetitive text).
6. Discuss and/or attempt to distribute any illegal substance including, but not limited to illegal drugs.
7. Create offensive user/character names or otherwise abuse the naming system to create any name that violates other sections of the GPC, as determined by WBIE Personnel. We reserve the right to remove or change names and/or remove entire accounts as we see fit, without warning.
8. Argue with or neglect to follow instructions of WBIE Game Masters, Moderators or other WBIE Personnel.
9. Abuse the privileges of any online petition system that may be offered by WBIE, including but not limited to spamming of reports or false reports or false reports against other users.
10. Deliberately log off or exit the game while any WBIE Personnel communicating with you to avoid disciplinary actions. This may result in a removal of gameplay privileges.
11. Hack or deliberately use game bugs or loopholes to disrupt the game and/or message boards.
12. Use flaws or loopholes in the game and/or message boards to commit fraudulent acts against other players.
13. Attempt to modify any part of The Matrix Online game client, including, but not limited to any data sent between the client and the game server.
14. Impersonate WBIE staff members, customer support personnel, developers, producers or any other WBIE Personnel, including any past or present employee of WBIE, Warner Bros. Online, Inc., Monolith Productions, Inc. or SEGA Corporation.
15. Provide false or misleading information in your registered The Matrix Online game account and/or message board details.
16. Post web links or URLs that point to content deemed lewd, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate, as determined by WBIE Personnel.
17. Violate any local, state, national or international law or regulation through the use of The Matrix Online properties.
18. Post obscene or defamatory content of any kind at any time while posting to the official online message board for The Matrix Online
Additional information about the Guidelines for Player Conduct:
* WBIE Personnel have final say on what constitutes a violation of the GPC. WBIE reserves the right to change the GPC at any time, without prior notification.
* Any user who commits a violation of the GPC may face disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, temporary or even permanent removal of gameplay privileges, removal of inventory items, denial of key features of gameplay and removal of message board privileges.
* All users' actions can be logged at any time in order to assist WBIE Personnel in making fair judgments during a report of a GPC violation.
The only thing I can see that might be the case is number 11. They STILL didn't answer the question... so I guess I'm just gonna be a lil paranoid tomorrow when I run missions lol. So don't mind me if you see my character looking over his shoulders constantly or witness uncontrollable shaking. :P just gimme a good slap in the face and hopefully that'll do.
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What in the world. It's not like you are flaming them or being rude. I don't understand why they won't answer your question. Is your ban time up now? Is that why they replied with the GPC? Or maybe it's a warning to shut the hell up? Man...this is a bunch of crap. I wish I could help you, but they replied to my petition saying "Because of privacy issues, we can't share with you any information regarding other players' accounts." This was after I tried to defend you in my reply.
Maybe someone realized they screwed up and are trying to cover for it. Or maybe that think you are trying to BS out of it.
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Who knows... I didn't want to push my luck so that update was the last I made. I will tolerate this first time and just do missions the 'kick ass take names later' way for now but if it happens again I will make them answer my dang question *shakes fists* lol.
My account should be up by 1pm PST but until then my game account and my forum login has been suspended (so i have to wait to post on that 'exploitations' thread and hopefully get an answer there).
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Chafe is the one that sent out the original [not] warning and also gave back an unsatisfactory reply to my response to that [not] warning.
He must be the one in charge of this issue.