EM Overstepping Thier Authority?

[dukarlo]

Heres a true story. Last night on GL there was a thief event on GL in Yew in Fel. The whole premise of the event was that thieves had stolen all the grapes used to make wine for a festival. Thieves were called upon to steal back the grapes so the festival could commence. Kind of lame IMO but some players like this kind of RP stuff so whatever. My intent was not the grapes but to make a nice score off The Trammel masses while all these people are scurrying about trying to steal grapes. I snoop an EM that has an item called "Soul Snare"(it was a grey hourglass thing) and of course I steal it. I then insure the item. At the end of the event I ask the EM what the item is all about. The EM promptly takes the insured item from my pack and offers me a mug which were handed out at the event. I told the EM that I just wanted "MY" Soul Snare back and the EM just told me too bad and left never to be seen or heard from again. I thought these events were about RPing etc. I never even had the chance to hold the thing for ransom or to barter(which i would have good naturedly done). I did nothing illegal and it was a thief event for crying out loud. In an otherwise humdrum night it was the score of the event. The moral of the story? When an EM doesnt insure something they just abuse thier powers and take it right back outside of game mechanics. Item insurance and trammel apparently arent enough to help the careless, clueless, unprepared and foolish anymore. Now the EMs just blatantly overstep thier bounds even at the expense of good natured legitimate gameplay.


Rolo The Annoyed

 

[Cerwin Vega]

That really does seem kind of lame... you thought outside the box and scored so you should get to keep the item.

 

[MalagAste]

I'd say the EM's stealing skills Trump yours.

And given that GL's EM's are some of the best on all the shards... I'd say shame on you.

Not sure if Mesanna showed up or not last night but I'm assuming that the EM's at least spoke to her about the incident.

But yes it would have been fun to ransom the item back to them. Personally I think it would have been even more fun if the act of stealing the item brought you instant death... and sent your ghost somewhere like say.... the Abyss... or to the Lost Lands Undead area. That would have been highly entertaining...... but that would require decent DEV coding.... and well... nm...

But at least you were able to get a Mug. More than many were able to do.

 

[dukarlo]

I did not take a mug out of principle.

 

[Tinsil]

They've probably been told to be careful since some of these items sell for piles of cash. It sucks you didn't get it, but I see their side.

I'm wondering why you even asked though? That seems like just begging for it to be taken.

 

[GalenKnighthawke]

You are playing a game.

EMs are representatives of the manufacturers of that game.

You did something against the rules of that game.

No action was taken against you other than having what you did undone.

Instead of sighing and thinking "well I had better not try to grief representatives of the manufacturer of this computer game again," you come onto a message board and whine.

-Galen's player

 

[dukarlo]

How is using the stealing skill griefing and why shouldnt i be able to ask about a legitimately stolen item?

 

[ilot]

Next step is simply remove stealing from the game and replace it with brewing...

YOU WANT IT (even though you've never been asked)

 

[Amber Moon]

How is using the stealing skill griefing?

Well, I wouldn't use the term grief.. but are you trying to tell me that you are so naive that you don't recognize the EMs and the items they carry as special and outside of normal gameplay?

And nothing really happened, you just don't have the item anymore. Guess it was stolen.

 

[dukarlo]

Well, I wouldn't use the term grief.. but are you trying to tell me that you are so naive that you don't recognize the EMs and the items they carry as special and outside of normal gameplay?

And nothing really happened, you just don't have the item anymore. Guess it was stolen.

No it wasnt stolen from me it was taken from me outside of game mechanics by EM abuse of powers. It was a thief event where people were encouraged to steal. The item was obviosly stealable, how do i know that EM didnt intend for one of thier buddies to steal it? Im not saying that is the case but it WAS stealable and was stolen using fair gameplay.

 

[Petra Fyde]

Most people manage to recognise that EM's special items are not legitimate targets for stealing.

 

[Amber Moon]

The item was obviosly stealable, how do i know that EM didnt intend for one of thier buddies to steal it?

Well, you could start by taking off that tin foil hat.

 

[dukarlo]

Most people manage to recognise that EM's special items are not legitimate targets for stealing.

Thats right because those items are blessed, unstealable etc.

 

[Bill Gates OSD]

That really does seem kind of lame... you thought outside the box and scored so you should get to keep the item.

+1

 

[Petra Fyde]

Agreed the EM made a mistake in not blessing the item, but suppose that item had a function that you are not aware of making it impossible that you be allowed to keep it?

 

[Bill Gates OSD]

You are playing a game.

EMs are representatives of the manufacturers of that game.

You did something against the rules of that game.

No action was taken against you other than having what you did undone.

Instead of sighing and thinking "well I had better not try to grief representatives of the manufacturer of this computer game again," you come onto a message board and whine.

-Galen's player

Post a link to a reference in the TOS that says, "Thou shalt not steal from EMs/EA staff". I dare ya!

"well I had better not try to grief representatives of the manufacturer of this computer game again"? Are you serious? Following your line of reasoning every true "rare" out there should be collected and destroyed unless it was bestowed upon it's owner by a representative of the game. Come on Galen... You're normally more level-headed than this...

 

[Vlaude]

I love how every time something like this comes up some people take the side of the EM who was dumb enough to have a stealable unblessed item on him. I agree with OP, the EM had a stealable object in his pack at a thieves event in Fel that he put together. The EM should have owned up to his stupid mistake and let the OP keep the item.

 

[Chad Sexington]

You are playing a game.

EMs are representatives of the manufacturers of that game.

You did something against the rules of that game.

No action was taken against you other than having what you did undone.

Instead of sighing and thinking "well I had better not try to grief representatives of the manufacturer of this computer game again," you come onto a message board and whine.

-Galen's player

The game he's playing is Ultima Online. He used the stealing skill in Felucca which exactly what the rules say you should do with that skill.

What's the problem again?

 

[Amber Moon]

The GMs and developers often remove things from players that they feel the players shouldn't have. Sometimes this happens when a GM visits a player, other times by coding. How is this different other then the it was an EM and not one of the above mentioned game representatives?

 

[Vlaude]

The GMs and developers often remove things from players that they feel the players shouldn't have. Sometimes this happens when a GM visits a player, other times by coding. How is this different other then the it was an EM and not one of the above mentioned game representatives?

Since you give no specific examples/evidence of what you're saying I can only assume you're talking about when they remove duped items from the game, which are illegal. Stealing an item from an EM in Felucca at a thieves event is not illegal and the EM could have easily prevented it if he had been paying more attention.

 

[Kiminality]

The EM just "stole" the item back, using the abilities they're granted in game

The items that are given out by EMs are restricted - they can't just make an hand out whatever they want.
If it's an item that wasn't cleared to be distributed during that event, then of course it's going to get removed, just like most other things players get that they're not supposed to.

 

[Chad Sexington]

The EM just "stole" the item back, using the abilities they're granted in game

The items that are given out by EMs are restricted - they can't just make an hand out whatever they want.
If it's an item that wasn't cleared to be distributed during that event, then of course it's going to get removed, just like most other things players get that they're not supposed to.

As long as the Stealing skill is in the game and as long as Felucca exists, by default, items in Felucca that aren't blessed or insured are fair game. If the item wasn't intended to be stolen, then the EM should have been spoken to about being more careful the next time. I'm sure he would never make that mistake again. No need to punish the thief.

 

[Amber Moon]

No need to punish the thief.

He wasn't. In fact, he was offered a reward.

 

[dukarlo]

He wasn't. In fact, he was offered a reward.

Actually my reward was taken from me outside of game mechanics.

 

[Sapphirediablo]

Technically it is an illegal item, as it is not an item a player should have in game or an item that was a set reward that was planned for an event or an item that naturally spawns, you should have been banned, you were not, so you QQ since you don't get 1 of 1 items that shouldn't exist... *le sadface* Move on.

 

[dukarlo]

That item CERTAINLY DOES exist.

 

[Vlaude]

Until someone can provide some actual TOS here the whole "herp derp it's illegal cause they aren't supposed to have the item" BS doesn't cut it. Sorry. That sort of thing doesn't fly in any self-respecting institution.

 

[Chad Sexington]

Technically it is an illegal item, as it is not an item a player should have in game or an item that was a set reward that was planned for an event or an item that naturally spawns, you should have been banned, you were not, so you QQ since you don't get 1 of 1 items that shouldn't exist... *le sadface* Move on.

I know some people would like to delete all of Felucca and PvP stealing from the game completely. But until that time, let's not get carried away.

 

[Amber Moon]

Actually my reward was taken from me outside of game mechanics.

Now you are just being thick. A company rep made the determination that the item shouldn't stay in the game. He removed it. He offered you the event reward, which he had no obligation to do, as you didn't participate in the event, but were admittedly there just for personal gain.

I understand there are many players who feel that if game mechanics allow something to occur in the game, then it should be allowed to stand. I can assure you the game has never worked this way in the thirteen plus years I have played. Some things are errors and are corrected after the fact.

 

[dukarlo]

Now you are just being thick. A company rep made the determination that the item shouldn't stay in the game. He removed it. He offered you the event reward, which he had no obligation to do, as you didn't participate in the event, but were admittedly there just for personal gain.

I understand there are many players who feel that if game mechanics allow something to occur in the game, then it should be allowed to stand. I can assure you the game has never worked this way in the thirteen plus years I have played. Some things are errors and are corrected after the fact.

Where do you get off saying I didnt attend the event? Just because there was opportunity for my legitamate template, playstyle and skillset and I was in the right place at the right time doesnt mean I dfidnt attend.

 

[Amber Moon]

Where do you get off saying I didnt attend the event?

The word was 'participate' as in, play the minigame in the event as intended.

Here are your own words:

My intent was not the grapes but to make a nice score off The Trammel masses while all these people are scurrying about trying to steal grapes.

 

[Chad Sexington]

Now you are just being thick. A company rep made the determination that the item shouldn't stay in the game. He removed it. He offered you the event reward, which he had no obligation to do, as you didn't participate in the event, but were admittedly there just for personal gain.

I understand there are many players who feel that if game mechanics allow something to occur in the game, then it should be allowed to stand. I can assure you the game has never worked this way in the thirteen plus years I have played. Some things are errors and are corrected after the fact.

Now only is it "allowed" to occur in the game, it's encouraged to occur, evident by the existence of the skill itself.

 

[Petra Fyde]

IF the item had been merely decorative then yes, maybe the EM should have accepted that a mistake had been made and allowed you to keep it so that you could screw the rares folk out of a huge pile of gold.
Such was the result of a similar incident elsewhere.

However if, as is far more likely, the item had a function which most certainly should not be in the hands of the player, then how then could the EM possibly have allowed you to keep it? You were offered an item in exchange.

Since the EM can not post here to clarify the incident, I'm closing this thread.