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The Developers Do Care About Duped Items!

S_S

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
If I forgot to pay my acct on time I'd be an active Military Personnel too. ;)
 

Lady Storm

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
SS
She can if she is notified of the trouble before its too late, But many times it is too late.... this world is in constant disaster mode... fires, floods, hurricanes, tornado, eq's, and yes war.
We all have had this option if hell and high water hits the fan to ask for her hand in a matter beyond our control... its her good graces to nix or grant that help.
This is not something to depend on... we all control our game time and lives.
Your wrong to put that old disgruntled and over used phrase out there of "you do for one you do for all ..." routine.
NO and my point is this... parents, family and coaches gave kids trophy's for loosing..... to build their self esteem.... those same grown up kids now believe they are now DUE for anything they ask for even for not doing a single thing for themselves outside of breathing.
This was wrong and we will all be paying for this mistake in the future.
You should be happy she cared enough about a service person to at least give them that which was theirs to begin with. I would expect you of all people would understand the trouble with being shot at in another country far from any way to access the game much less the internet to see your CC was declined for lack of new date!
I am happy he was found alive.... so shove off the attitude of hurt feelings because you didn't get to rob him blind to trash his stones and shields.

Scribbles........
Yes he got them thank you for asking.
First off the OSI house takeover system has been plagued with bugs for years... the problem is its a random glitch and is hard to pin the reason for it being there.
I know from house watching quite a few OSI homes that failed to poof when they should have. Vendors can put a fall in OSI hands and this has the odd ball chance of being glitched at the switchover. However to have the dev or gms go house to house that changes to OSI to view the system is a bit much. Its why the dev asked for players to turn in houses that don't drop as they should have normally.
 

Lady Storm

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
My pleasure dear.
He was gratefull to his friends who hunted him down to tell him. It's not like he could tell the issi guys hold on a minute I got to go fix my UO account...
 

Scribbles

Long Live The Players
Professional
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
SS
She can if she is notified of the trouble before its too late, But many times it is too late.... this world is in constant disaster mode... fires, floods, hurricanes, tornado, eq's, and yes war.
We all have had this option if hell and high water hits the fan to ask for her hand in a matter beyond our control... its her good graces to nix or grant that help.
This is not something to depend on... we all control our game time and lives.
Your wrong to put that old disgruntled and over used phrase out there of "you do for one you do for all ..." routine.
NO and my point is this... parents, family and coaches gave kids trophy's for loosing..... to build their self esteem.... those same grown up kids now believe they are now DUE for anything they ask for even for not doing a single thing for themselves outside of breathing.
This was wrong and we will all be paying for this mistake in the future.
You should be happy she cared enough about a service person to at least give them that which was theirs to begin with. I would expect you of all people would understand the trouble with being shot at in another country far from any way to access the game much less the internet to see your CC was declined for lack of new date!
I am happy he was found alive.... so shove off the attitude of hurt feelings because you didn't get to rob him blind to trash his stones and shields.

Scribbles........
Yes he got them thank you for asking.
First off the OSI house takeover system has been plagued with bugs for years... the problem is its a random glitch and is hard to pin the reason for it being there.
I know from house watching quite a few OSI homes that failed to poof when they should have. Vendors can put a fall in OSI hands and this has the odd ball chance of being glitched at the switchover. However to have the dev or gms go house to house that changes to OSI to view the system is a bit much. Its why the dev asked for players to turn in houses that don't drop as they should have normally.

Im glad he was taken care of. Thanks for sharing.
 

Zuckuss

Order | Chaos
Professional
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Nobody here has a hint of a clue of what actually happened except perhaps for Mesanna, the house owner and a handful of the house owner's friends. Sitting here trying to guess and predict the sequence of events based on partial information is a futile effort. We could wonder all day what actually happened. It's somewhat entertaining to watch people try to connect the dots, cry foul or even deliver praise only going by information provided by the player perspective at an idoc and two paragraphs in the original post.
 

Donzer

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Seems like this is becoming a guessing game. She never said that there was any duped items inside, she just said that the house was clear of duped items, as if she checked the items to be sure there wasnt any present in the house.

I do still think it was nice of her to get the account bound items - and I would hope that this is possible for anyone in the same situation. In most cases people dont complain until the house has dropped, in which case all the items already are gone, and the devs have no idea which items were inside at the drop time.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
well iam a bit worried when i read this posts.

first of all some say this is an army guy (i know veterans, be proud of...bla...) BUT he pay the same monthly amount like me so why shall be a special treatment for him than for everyone else?

second, i did not see that she said the removed duped stuff, only that there is non inside. thats totall fine for me IF you just ignore the fact that involvement of the devs at idocs is rather not gonna happen at all.

in general id like the idea that account bound stuff would pop into a characters mailbox of the account to not loose stones and shields but they are gone for everyone, so they should also be gone for him.

if he actually played this 90 days game, well no mercy, his on damn fault. i would never do this on a house which got anything of value else than trashpoints from gifts.

if he did not play this game. well even then his own fault. buy gametime in advance, dont you know how long you are deployed in the army? if not, ehh well still your own fault.
i use GTC at least 6 month in advance, i also have a backup CC entered to avoid anything which could cost me my stuff.....

i dont see why a person who dont pay a extra "premium fee" should get his crap saved and all other not.

but what concerns me most is the following:
WHY DID SHE SAVE ONLY HIS STONES AND SHIELDS AND LET THE REST FALL IF THE ACCOUNT WAS PAID PROPERLY?!
i dont get it. the account is either paid properly = the damn house even if bugged should be saved completely by devs and give back or paid too late then well its his own damn problem.


please dont hate me but i think this is not the way it should go somehow. ?!
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
SS
She can if she is notified of the trouble before its too late, But many times it is too late.... this world is in constant disaster mode... fires, floods, hurricanes, tornado, eq's, and yes war.
We all have had this option if hell and high water hits the fan to ask for her hand in a matter beyond our control... its her good graces to nix or grant that help.
This is not something to depend on... we all control our game time and lives.
Your wrong to put that old disgruntled and over used phrase out there of "you do for one you do for all ..." routine.
NO and my point is this... parents, family and coaches gave kids trophy's for loosing..... to build their self esteem.... those same grown up kids now believe they are now DUE for anything they ask for even for not doing a single thing for themselves outside of breathing.
This was wrong and we will all be paying for this mistake in the future.
You should be happy she cared enough about a service person to at least give them that which was theirs to begin with. I would expect you of all people would understand the trouble with being shot at in another country far from any way to access the game much less the internet to see your CC was declined for lack of new date!
I am happy he was found alive.... so shove off the attitude of hurt feelings because you didn't get to rob him blind to trash his stones and shields.

Scribbles........
Yes he got them thank you for asking.
First off the OSI house takeover system has been plagued with bugs for years... the problem is its a random glitch and is hard to pin the reason for it being there.
I know from house watching quite a few OSI homes that failed to poof when they should have. Vendors can put a fall in OSI hands and this has the odd ball chance of being glitched at the switchover. However to have the dev or gms go house to house that changes to OSI to view the system is a bit much. Its why the dev asked for players to turn in houses that don't drop as they should have normally.
@Lady Storm
well ofc its nice that she cared about him after something bad happend and iam also glad that the guy was found alive and maybe with much luck will be better again. but still its putting hand on something for 1 single person and not for all other customers.

and i think its not about looting the place i think, its more why the devs prefer this guy.

if you would ask me, cases like this deserve to stop the falling and book on free gametime till the person is better, can come back and OFC pay back the given GTC. BUT this then should then apply for ALL hit by a disaster EVEN if the customer affected is in the oppisite army! it do not matter who the person is, its a human being as we all... a son, maybe a father, a friend....
 

Lady Storm

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I think I can answer your question as it was explained to me.
The house even though he corrected the billing and contacted Mesanna the house went beyond the 90 day grace and the full decay timer. It then became game property in the OSI system due to a vendor unrelated to the house owner. The attempted contact with the player was not a minor few days thing... this was a concern of his friends as he was not seen or heard from for a long time. Most of which knew he was overseas. When one saw the house go into the decay mode they in earnest attempted to contact him out of concern.
Mesanna couldn't give him the house and its contents as it had gone so far over but the return of his personal accounts items was as they are linked to his account and proof they are his.
Contrary to all who think this unfair...consider this
This player lost all of the house's contents.....house and everything...except things belonging by link to his account.
To sit there and claim it to be unfair because he didn't loose the stones and shields linked to the account is just sour grapes because they didn't get ALL of it.
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
first of all some say this is an army guy (i know veterans, be proud of...bla...) BUT he pay the same monthly amount like me so why shall be a special treatment for him than for everyone else?
SORRY But if you have never been there then you have ZERO clue what you are talking about. Having been forward deployed there is very little chance you get to talk to your loved one much less worry about weather your CC is working or not. This is a person that is willing to put themselves in harms way to protect your freedom and alls you can do is whine and attempt to compare what you do to what they are do or are willing to do. SORRY what you do is **** compared to what they may be required to do at about a forth of what you are probably being paid.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
SORRY But if you have never been there then you have ZERO clue what you are talking about. Having been forward deployed there is very little chance you get to talk to your loved one much less worry about weather your CC is working or not. This is a person that is willing to put themselves in harms way to protect your freedom and alls you can do is whine and attempt to compare what you do to what they are do or are willing to do. SORRY what you do is **** compared to what they may be required to do at about a forth of what you are probably being paid.
well Frodo, yes i dont know how "this is" becaus i was not sent somwhere during my time in the army but this not the point. i never said that i dont respected people who serve or risk their lifes for a greater good, i do.

the point is to deal with your stuff "in time". which he didn, even if he got a good (but sad) reason for not doing it.

the thing here is, that customer get prefered compared to others. so do it either in general to safe account bound stuff or not. it do not matter what happened to that person. as i wrote my second post. i would be happy if they would saved all of his stuff, really.

i will not go on with any "freedom" discussions with you as this make no sense to me because first it dont belong here and second our opinions about this are different.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
I think I can answer your question as it was explained to me.
The house even though he corrected the billing and contacted Mesanna the house went beyond the 90 day grace and the full decay timer. It then became game property in the OSI system due to a vendor unrelated to the house owner. The attempted contact with the player was not a minor few days thing... this was a concern of his friends as he was not seen or heard from for a long time. Most of which knew he was overseas. When one saw the house go into the decay mode they in earnest attempted to contact him out of concern.
Mesanna couldn't give him the house and its contents as it had gone so far over but the return of his personal accounts items was as they are linked to his account and proof they are his.
Contrary to all who think this unfair...consider this
This player lost all of the house's contents.....house and everything...except things belonging by link to his account.
To sit there and claim it to be unfair because he didn't loose the stones and shields linked to the account is just sour grapes because they didn't get ALL of it.
hi storm i understand what you are trying to say. but let me tell you also one thing, Mesanna can do whatever she wants with the house, no matter which state it is. all this stuff is programm code and most likely numbers in a data base. this can be changed by the devs if they want.

and you are wrong (maybe my english is not the best) i dont complain here that he lost only something, i complain because they do this for single persons but not for all customers. its not about him as a person, its about measuring stuff with 2 different units of measurement.

implement it for all or leave it as it is.
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
well Frodo, yes i dont know how "this is" becaus i was not sent somwhere during my time in the army but this not the point. i never said that i dont respected people who serve or risk their lifes for a greater good, i do.

the point is to deal with your stuff "in time". which he didn, even if he got a good (but sad) reason for not doing it.

the thing here is, that customer get prefered compared to others. so do it either in general to safe account bound stuff or not. it do not matter what happened to that person. as i wrote my second post. i would be happy if they would saved all of his stuff, really.

i will not go on with any "freedom" discussions with you as this make no sense to me because first it dont belong here and second our opinions about this are different.
So your BLA is a sign of respect, LMAO. You are so clueless what forward deployed is, you do not go home when you want to you go when they say you go. I have had 2 months turn into 7 months so according to your, what ever you want to call it, I am **** out of luck. I will leave it at that because sir IMHO you are no longer worth the bother. :next: 21 years and damn proud of every one of them.
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
do what ever you like Frodo. think what you like.
good that we have stop talking about that topic here
 

Finley Grant

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
well Frodo, if completely missunderstanding my point about the topic, and then not even be willing to let me explain it to you, because you want to stick on something which obviousely offended you when i questioned if being an army veteran or police guy or whatever *insert any dangerous job* (even after **** hit the fan) is qualification enough for special treatment over all other x-thousand paying persons is all you can do than you should better be not so proud of yourself. In the end its still a JOB you choose on free will.

it looks that we come from different countries with different cultures when it comes to the honoring of veternans thingy, it looks that you in US take this much more serious than maybe we do in my country, i never wanted to offend you or other people who serve etc. my apology to all other veterans if my post may caused some confusion.


towards the OPs topic:
either they do it for all or not. it looks like the mentioned "She can if she is notified of the trouble before its too late" from Lady Storm is some kind of unwritten rule as i was not aware of this and probably a lot of other either.

i still have the opinion its not fair to safe stuff from one because some bad happenings but not from the rest as its clearly the players fault when a account ran out and the house decay.

my whish would be that all account bound stuff will drop into one of the banks when the house fall.
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
I know sometimes it can appear that the developers don't pay attention to issues like duping and scripting, but here is proof from today that they actually do still try to fight duping when they can!

Mesanna came to an IDOC today to go through the house and delete all the duped items in it before the house fell. Effectively removing a bunch of duped items from the market that otherwise would have been resold once the house fell.

She also removed the personal account bound items from the house like Soulstones and Shard Shields that are no use to anyone except the house owner. She didn't mention why, but I think she brought them to the shard donation house for those type of items or something, that way if the player ever comes back they can find their shard shields and soulstones again.

Afterwards some players mentioned to her that some recent IDOC's have been heavily scripted, so she agreed to observe the looting of both this IDOC, and some future IDOC's to watch the script looting for herself and see if something can be done to prevent it.

Thank you Mesanna! :)

View attachment 58228
Well ya tried to make a positive outta this brother ;)
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
So how about a drop box we could use to drop account tied items that would give as much points for clean up and a returning player could go there and reclaim their items? For a nominal fee :p I'm sure they would have to do something or it would get abused in some way.
 

OREOGL

Crazed Zealot
Professional
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Patron
Nobody here has a hint of a clue of what actually happened except perhaps for Mesanna, the house owner and a handful of the house owner's friends. Sitting here trying to guess and predict the sequence of events based on partial information is a futile effort. We could wonder all day what actually happened. It's somewhat entertaining to watch people try to connect the dots, cry foul or even deliver praise only going by information provided by the player perspective at an idoc and two paragraphs in the original post.
Wait, isn't that how the majority of the posts go here?
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Nobody here has a hint of a clue of what actually happened except perhaps for Mesanna, the house owner and a handful of the house owner's friends. Sitting here trying to guess and predict the sequence of events based on partial information is a futile effort. We could wonder all day what actually happened. It's somewhat entertaining to watch people try to connect the dots, cry foul or even deliver praise only going by information provided by the player perspective at an idoc and two paragraphs in the original post.
Well just based on the facts of what we know this is clearly outta the norm. I believe it's another case that Mesanna loves the players and goes above and beyond at times outta the goodness of her heart. But it gets messy when it happens to the next guy and nothing special is done. Now if it was clearly a BS/EA problem, monthly paid account, EA billing screwed up, the player tried to renew as soon as possible and maybe had a problem, the medicine would go down easier :) Alas we'll probably never know.
 

Cyrah

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
If she really wanted to help an active military man she could have saved his house and all contents. I have no issue with that.

Instead she dropped the house early and helped the players and 24/7 scripters who were there at the time. And the person who got the plot. :(
 

Zandor

Lore Keeper
Stratics Veteran
Doesn't Turk do construction in Turkey? Military? Maybe contracts for the Turkish military I suppose. *shrugs*
 

OREOGL

Crazed Zealot
Professional
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Patron
Doesn't Turk do construction in Turkey? Military? Maybe contracts for the Turkish military I suppose. *shrugs*
I heard he's part of the rainbow army as a mystic llama herder in tajikistan.
 

Lord Nabin

High Council Sage - Greater Sosaria
Professional
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Glorious Lord
*looks up from his spot by the fire*

Last time I checked life, it isn't always equal. It's part of what makes things real.

*Taps his glass of Good Old Moonglow Red thoughtfully*

Thanks for being there @Mesanna. You made a difference. Well Done.

*sets his glass down and settles in for a nice nap*
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
*looks up from his spot by the fire*

Last time I checked life, it isn't always equal. It's part of what makes things real.

*Taps his glass of Good Old Moonglow Red thoughtfully*

Thanks for being there @Mesanna. You made a difference. Well Done.

*sets his glass down and settles in for a nice nap*
Always nice to note things aren't fair or equal in an online game we all pay equally for lol (Given the same situation and parameters)
 

Lord Nabin

High Council Sage - Greater Sosaria
Professional
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Glorious Lord
Always nice to note things aren't fair or equal in an online game we all pay equally for lol (Given the same situation and parameters)
Anytime someone no matter what there position (player, Gm, Dev,) helps out another player with anything in the game we all pay for. Equality is gone friend.

Let's be thankful whenever assistance is given of any kind.
 

Capt. Lucky

Grand Inquisitor
Stratics Veteran
Anytime someone no matter what there position (player, Gm, Dev,) helps out another player with anything in the game we all pay for. Equality is gone friend.

Let's be thankful whenever assistance is given of any kind.
Well assistance is a point of view. She didn't assist the IDOCers (which is annoying as hell to do) and we only have her word on what she removed. Games have rules, when we twist them we risk perma ban.
 

a slave girl

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I will have to stop telling the scammed that scamming isn't illegal because the devs can't save you from your own stupidity.

This post proves that they can.

I keep my soulstones in the bank.

Just saying.
 

Picus at the office

Certifiable
Supporter
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
If she had done nothing nobody would be here talking about it. Just another IDOC and another lost account. This player has lost everything in the house, I think there is slim chance he/she will keep playing/paying.

Is this the new precedence for every account: "If you pay at the last moment the team will find your account bound items and save them."
 

petemage

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
"If you pay at the last moment the team will find your account bound items and save them."
Apparently, it also helps to have a friend or two telling her you are in the military and on the other end of the world. At least it's worth the try as we see :)
 

Captn Norrington

Stratics Forum Moderator
Moderator
Professional
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
I think there is slim chance he/she will keep playing/paying.
He has 4 other houses as well all also filled with stuff. When someone talked to him about it he said he didn't mind losing this house much but he would have been devastated by losing his shard shields and soulstones.
 

petemage

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
He has 4 other houses as well all also filled with stuff. When someone talked to him about it he said he didn't mind losing this house much but he would have been devastated by losing his shard shields and soulstones.
So much for the story of the poor military guy who was not able manage his accounts while being abroad lol. He just ****ed up one and got help from nonetheless than the producer itself. No more questions needed.

Props for actually making it work and having Mesanna triggered. The whole thing smells just fishy af.
 

OREOGL

Crazed Zealot
Professional
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Patron
So much for the story of the poor military guy who was not able manage his accounts while being abroad lol. He just ****ed up one and got help from nonetheless than the producer itself. No more questions needed.

Props for actually making it work and having Mesanna triggered. The whole thing smells just fishy af.
I'm not sure how you were able to deduce this, regardless of his situation.

Of the three accounts I have, none of them occur on the same billing date.
 

petemage

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I'm not sure how you were able to deduce this, regardless of his situation.

Of the three accounts I have, none of them occur on the same billing date.
Nobody in this thread knows what exactly was done and why it was done. I just post what I think. And I still think preferential treatment to a small number of people close to you is bad practice. So I will continue to make my little fun of it, because there is no way I can change it at all. Cheers ;)
 

OREOGL

Crazed Zealot
Professional
Stratics Veteran
UNLEASHED
Campaign Patron
Nobody in this thread knows what exactly was done and why it was done. I just post what I think. And I still think preferential treatment to a small number of people close to you is bad practice. So I will continue to make my little fun of it, because there is no way I can change it at all. Cheers ;)
Ah, carry on then.

It appears we've already invested more time speculating this than what it's worth, if it was ever worth anything for the matter.

:bdh:
 

Bobar

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Afterwards some players mentioned to her that some recent IDOC's have been heavily scripted, so she agreed to observe the looting of both this IDOC, and some future IDOC's to watch the script looting for herself and see if something can be done to prevent it.
So this is news to her?. There have been innumerable posts here regarding scripting and how it is now totally blatant. I will believe this when something happens and in my 12 years here it aint happened yet.
 

Coco_Zamis_DF

Lore Keeper
Governor
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Compassion vs. Justice:
A gypsy turns a card and asks you

Thou has found a house in IDOC state because the owner is far away in name of the king.
He is at thy mercy. a) Dost thou let it burn down to ensure equality in name of Justice, or b) listen to its friends and show
compassion while saving some of it's very personal belongings?

Mate's is Christmas Time, wonders should happen!!!
 

Fridgster

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
So this is what the world has come to. We can't accept that someone did something polite/nice because we feel that we wouldn't be treated the same. We take it as a slight to us instead of just being happy that someone was able to help another. Have we truly fallen that far?
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Santa's Christmas Eve.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

A Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan wrote this poem.
The following is his request. I think it is reasonable...

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due. To our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
 

Jynxx

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Campaign Supporter
I know sometimes it can appear that the developers don't pay attention to issues like duping and scripting, but here is proof from today that they actually do still try to fight duping when they can!

Ignoring the details of what happened with this particular individual, I have to comment on this statement:

"The Developers Do Care About Duped Items!"



Come on, really? If Mesanna cared even slightly about duped items or scripting, she's take a few minutes to buy a handful of items from the 3rd party sellers, and tag their accounts for later examination when she meets with them to trade. She could identify the sources of scripting and gold/item sellers by posing as a player.

But they've been selling scripted resources, scripted skill training, duped items and gold for many years now with no interruption.
 
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