Paging a Game Master, does anyone really know how it works ?

[popps]

I am confused, I suspect something is not working right but I am not sure what it may be since I have no idea what are the inner workings of paging for Game Master Assistance.

I am now at day 4 of paging for in-game help to locate my ship as I have no other way to find it but with the help of a Game Master.

Every day after server up from maintainance I place my page phrasing as I was suggested to and mentioning that Mesanna instructed to request GM assistance for this issue.

Of course I am unable to stay logged the entire day, actually, I stay logged very little time as these days I have quite a busy life and am unable to be logged in the game much.

Anyways, from time to time during the day I check briefly the status of my page and I see it pending throughout the entire day. But no message whatsoever from a Game Master, no queue messages of me being whatever number in a queue, nothing. Just merely and only my message pending when I click the Help button to check.

This, until the server goes down for maintainance the following day.

At that point, my pending page gets automatically aborted by the system. That is, it does not survive maitainance and I have to place it again after the server comes back up again.

Now, what does all of this mean ? Are my pages getting to a Game Master attention at all ?
And if so, how come in 4 days I have not been helped still (all it would take, is my guiess, is a few minutes of a GM time...) ??

I am asking, because I have no clue of knowing, all I know is that for 4 days I have had my pages pending from server up from maintainance to server down for maintainance but I have neither been helped nor received any information whatsoever from any Game Master.

So, I am kinda wary whether the system is working, at least in my case, or not. I can understand Game Masters being busy but 4 days being left in the total dark seem quite too much for not suspecting something not going right. Especially, since mentioning Mesanna "should" get a Game Master to assist me with my in game issue. Yet, nothing at all for 4 days and counting........

So, anyone knows for sure how in-game assistance works these days ?

The decay with my ship is building up and eventually it will be gone for good with all of its contents unless I get Game Master assistance before then. But if my pages are not working for some reasons, how am I supposed to get a Game Master to come help me in the game ??

 

[Petra Fyde]

whenever I've paged recently there's been an email detailing the page.

 

[Viper09]

I send in a page through the right channels (harassment, other, etc) and wait. Queue sometimes pops up but ignore it. Weekends tend to be slower for some reason.

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

I send in a page through the right channels (harassment, other, etc) and wait. Queue sometimes pops up but ignore it. Weekends tend to be slower for some reason.

*bing!*

which leaves you with this option set popps ...

Set your page
Set sail and search
Pause the search (so you don't miss it) And DIAL the phone to Customer service
(have all your account ship shard particulars ready ...)
while on "hold"
Continue the search
While talking ... keep eye on screen (so you don't miss it)
Check that page is still active
Escalate to next level on the phone ...

Repeat/use as required and possible

and oh yeah ...
Start a trouble ticket

*dusts hands*
There ... its called multi-tasking with a singular goal.

I'm still looking AND recruiting (see bottom of post ... don't waste time >reposting<

follow the above)

 

[Flutter]

How many posts on this subject are you going to make?

 

[Uvtha]

How many posts on this subject are you going to make?

If his regular posting habits are any indication, I would say 3-7 posts per thing occupying his attention.

 

[popps]

How many posts on this subject are you going to make?

Well, I would say they are different topics and quite some.

I mean, the trigger is the lost ship but the former thread was about "what other options" where there other than paging a GM while this thread is focused on how the paging for a GM works on "their" side.......

I mean, on the player side we know that we write a message, press a button and send it out.

We know nothing of what happens "after" we hit the button to send that message out to a Game Master.

This thread tries to see if it is possible to figure out what happens on the "other side" so that players might more be aware about what happens to their messages once they are sent out.

Two different threads, IMHO.

 

[Zosimus]

Well, I would say they are different topics and quite some.

I mean, the trigger is the lost ship but the former thread was about "what other options" where there other than paging a GM while this thread is focused on how the paging for a GM works on "their" side.......

I mean, on the player side we know that we write a message, press a button and send it out.

We know nothing of what happens "after" we hit the button to send that message out to a Game Master.

This thread tries to see if it is possible to figure out what happens on the "other side" so that players might more be aware about what happens to their messages once they are sent out.

Two different threads, IMHO.

Maybe you should post this question since it concerns the "other side" to the devs. We as players have no true knowledge how that is handled by them unless we are currently employed by EA/Bioware and a working GM. I suggest you should post this question in the Ask the Devs section for a more accurate answer instead of us all guestimating what they would, could, should, how, why and what they do

Just trying to help and give you a little direction to get the most satisfactory answer you need

 

[Woodsman]

How many posts on this subject are you going to make?

It's a well known fact that for every thread you open about paging GMs, it shaves an hour off of the wait.

 

[Tjalle]

Anyways, from time to time during the day I check briefly the status of my page and I see it pending throughout the entire day. But no message whatsoever from a Game Master, no queue messages of me being whatever number in a queue, nothing. Just merely and only my message pending when I click the Help button to check.

I´ve had this issue too for a couple of days now.

After my page I had the "Check your journal for messages every couple of minutes" message but haven´t gotten a single one of those yet.

Only indication that my page was made is that I can cancel my page in the Help menue.

 

[Nakukak]

Nuff said.

 

[Nexus]

Nuff said.

ImaNewbie?


But seriously, UO Shares GM's with DAoC and I think Warhammer.

When you page the number in the que you get is pretty much useless, it's a relic from a earlier time.. How many pages do you think those 3 games generate an hour?

 

[Luvmylace]

just word it simple and to the point

Would a GM have time to find my ship please ?The time is ie 15:38 EST

 

[Flutter]

I think you should make another post asking how long before your ship sinks.

 

[popps]

Maybe you should post this question since it concerns the "other side" to the devs. We as players have no true knowledge how that is handled by them unless we are currently employed by EA/Bioware and a working GM. I suggest you should post this question in the Ask the Devs section for a more accurate answer instead of us all guestimating what they would, could, should, how, why and what they do

Just trying to help and give you a little direction to get the most satisfactory answer you need

That would make sense, thank you, but one never knows, perhaps this question was already answered sometimes in the past by a game representative, maybe on some other web site or Forum other than Stratics or even on the UO official web site who knows, and a Stratics' poster knowledged about it might remember what was said back then and post the information or a link in this thread ? Who knows........

 

[popps]

Anyways, from time to time during the day I check briefly the status of my page and I see it pending throughout the entire day. But no message whatsoever from a Game Master, no queue messages of me being whatever number in a queue, nothing. Just merely and only my message pending when I click the Help button to check.

I´ve had this issue too for a couple of days now.

After my page I had the "Check your journal for messages every couple of minutes" message but haven´t gotten a single one of those yet.

Only indication that my page was made is that I can cancel my page in the Help menue.

That is my situation likewise. I am now at day 5 of pending pages renewed daily after maintainance and no communication from a Game Master whatsoever. In the meantime, my ship keeps decaying and it will be gone for good with all of its contents, unless I get assisted before it is too late.

I am trying to find some logic in how the in-game service with Game Masters works, if it is possible to figure that out.....
I mean, I can understand that Game Masters might be busy but not having a few minutes to assist me with my problem over a 5 days span ? It sounds excessive to me, something here is not working right, either my pages are not getting through or I don't know what....

 

[popps]

Unfreaking incredible...........

I wrote a ticket a couple of days ago about not being able to get in-game assistance and to ask support to bring the matter up to a supervisor to find a way to get me assisted in game.

A rep replies to me that my issue can only be solved in-game and instructs me how to page for in-game help.

I respond saying that I am aware that my problem can only be fixed with in-game assistance but the issue is that I am unable to receive in game assistance as my pages remain unanswered and have been so for many days now clearly showing that something is NOT working as it should (perhaps the system is broken ??).

I get answered to this again, like the previous time, that my issue needs be solved in-game and again I am instructed how to page in-game for assistance.

Uhu ????????

I mean, I stated VERY CLEARLY that it has been days now (5...) that I have been paging EVERY DAY for in-game assistance but I am receiving NO ASSISTANCE whatsoever and I keep being told that my issue can only be resolved in-game by paging them ??

EXCUSE ME ???

I AM paging them but they are NOT coming to my aid !!!!

Is there damn number to call for the in-game Game Masters service ??

This is incredible, I am speechless.......................

I cannot solve the issue on my own, paging for in-game help remains unanswered, sending a ticket to support only gets me told to page for in-game help which is not working for me and HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO GET MY ISSUE SOLVED ??

I even PMed some of the Developers who post on Stratics asking for help but so far noone has replied to me (perhaps they are on vacation ??).

I have no idea how I can get this issue resolved before my ship decays for good with all of its contents. Anyone has any better ideas ?

And yes, I did check and my in-game page with the character owning the ship is still pending and I WILL renew the page after maintainance which aborts the page automatically. Still no message from a game Master about my lamented issue and we are now at day 5 of paging everyday.

Will I ever get out of this nightmare and get finally assisted ??

Incredible, I never thought I'd have had to go through this when needing in-game assistance.....

 

[Warpig Inc]

First check is if the ship owner can drop a new ship.

If not, then another character drops a ship.

Last, pick one those 5 days and sail all the waters.



Been on both sides. When ship was still about GM placed me on my ship with rowboat back in pack. (using rowboat being I know where I leave my toys.

When ship was sunk GMs ignored my page and figured out how to pop my own head back into the light. Boats are a running issue and anyone that has shared running birthdays with UO avoids game issues. Even after they say they fixed it for a time.

First start of the boat bug got all my lava poles. Wasn't an issue till the new patch. Even though my castle and keep are 13+ years old. I don't trust they can't make things vannish right down to the buildings. As a paying customer with EA, don't not ever expect a reach around.

 

[Petra Fyde]

When looking for the boat, with the second boat & char, did you use tracking?

 

[popps]

First check is if the ship owner can drop a new ship.

If not, then another character drops a ship.

Last, pick one those 5 days and sail all the waters.

I have been checking every day, today included, and the character owning the lost ship cannot place another ship. Gets an error message that another ship is already deployed and won't let me.

This is good news because it means the ship is still there, somewhere, with its content. Problem is, I have no clue where it may be and this is precisely why I need a Game Master to assist me in the game as also support told me when they answered to my support ticket.

The problem is, that it is now 5 days that I have been paging in game support for a Game Master and I am totally ignored. My page is always pending but I get no messages whatsoever from a Game Master. It is disheartening........

I have been trying to find it myself but I searched around my last known location for several hours, even though I cannot afford to spend that much time in game, my real life these days is pretty hectic and I do not have much time for UO.

My search was fruitless. Besides, it would take only a mere few minutes of a Game Master time to find it with the special tools they have, I do not see why a customer has to instead spend hours upon hours all for nothing when all it would take to a Game Master is a few minutes to locate it......

I cannot understand it.

Boats are a running issue and anyone that has shared running birthdays with UO avoids game issues. Even after they say they fixed it for a time.

Understand that and this is since a while back that I took the habit, whenever I use my ship, before I log off, to make sure to mark its last location in UOAutomap, just in case.

Problem is, that I went to my last marked UOAutomap ship location but the ship is no longer there nor anywhere near it.... That is why I am clueless of where it may be.

I know it exists out there, since I cannot deploy another ship, but I have no clue of where it may be. This is so frustrating.......

As a paying customer with EA, don't not ever expect a reach around.

Ultima Online is a service, right ? Does providing a paid service also require having to provide customer assistance to that service ? Does anyone know ?

I mean, is the in-game Game Master service a requirement to paying customers or is it merely a kind option that is not necessarily something that has to be made available to paying customers ? How does the Game Master service work ??

 

[popps]

When looking for the boat, with the second boat & char, did you use tracking?

Actually no, I had my radar open to max and was looking in it for a visual image of a ship to then get near to check.

If I were to use tracking, what should I look for ? Human ?

Problem is, that I only recall the name of my ship, not of the tillerman.

How would using tracking help me locate my ship more easily ?

I do have 100 tracking on a soulstone, what would then be the range that I could search using 100 tracking ?

 

[Petra Fyde]

no, you don't use tracking skill, you just say 'start tracking'. It will show arrows for where there are ships, so you sail and check them all out.

 

[popps]

no, you don't use tracking skill, you just say 'start tracking'. It will show arrows for where there are ships, so you sail and check them all out.

What is the range that this ship tracking works ?

I need to know so as to figure out when to stop, use tracking and how many tiles move again before using tracking agian.

Though, the sea is so vast and my ship could really be anywhere.

I can try, spending even more time in the process that I can afford these days, and only because after 5 days of paging I am still unable to get a Game Master to help me out. But I am not holding my breath that I can find it.

What frustrates me a whole lot is that I have to sacrifice precious time of my real life which I do not have these days, and most likely all for nothing since I doubt that I can find it on my own, when all it would take to find the ship is a few minutes of a Game Master's time, thanking to the special tools that they have.

This is really absurd, and a slap into my face as a paying customer, IMHO.

 

[Petra Fyde]

I've borrowed a boat and looking. So far the only tokuno boat I've found is called the saucy vixen.

 

[Nakukak]

saucy vixen.

I thought perverted talk wasnt allowed on forums -.-

 

[popps]

I've borrowed a boat and looking. So far the only tokuno boat I've found is called the saucy vixen.

What is the range for this ship tracking command ?

Also, it works on both clients EC and CC ?

 

[Petra Fyde]

yes, both clients and not sure but quite large. I've now totally circled the main Jhelom island, including finding a nice jetty on the mainland. Remind me the boat name I'm looking for? Starts with B?

 

[popps]

yes, both clients and not sure but quite large. I've now totally circled the main Jhelom island, including finding a nice jetty on the mainland. Remind me the boat name I'm looking for? Starts with B?

Berenguine is the ship name. Unfortunately I do not recall the tillerman name.

Assuming that someone managed to board it with the setting I was suggested in the last thread (Public set on N/A and my character allowed access) and moved it away from my last recorded location (I do not see otherwise how it could have been moved elsewhere...) do you think they could have also changed the name of the ship ?

If so, then really only a Game Master can help me as they can see with their special tools which ship is linked to my character and where it is.

If anyone has managed to change the name it would be for me a nightmare search as I would need to check out every single ship whether I can board it or not.

But I cannot get a Game Master to help !! I am really, but REALLY very frustrated.....

And still no Developer that I PMed has answered me either........ do you know whether they are all on vacation ? Or is there any of them still working that I could contact for help?

 

[Petra Fyde]

It is Monday, the devs don't work weekends.

I just found
The Wisemaker, somewhat worn, painted grey. 98.15S 25.18W

 

[popps]

It is Monday, the devs don't work weekends.

I just found
The Wisemaker, somewhat worn, painted grey. 98.15S 25.18W

Thanks, I will check it out just in case though, mine is named Berenguine and was unpainted and with no cannons at all (just a tokuno plain ship for fishing). So I do not think it is mine.

EDIT. I just checked it out, It will not allow me to board it saying that I do not have permission to board it. Therefore, this cannot be my lost ship, unfortunately.......

Developers do not work weekends but do you think they will check their Stratics Personal Messages today, Monday which is a working day ?

 

[popps]

no, you don't use tracking skill, you just say 'start tracking'. It will show arrows for where there are ships, so you sail and check them all out.

Are you sure that the words to be said are "START TRACKING" ?

I tried, also tried saying "TRACKING" only but I get no arrow no nothing. I am using the CC and am onboard of the ship.

I tried saying it when I even had another ship in my visual radar Range and still got no pointing arrows.

What am I doing wrong ?

 

[Petra Fyde]

yes, 'start tracking', you should get arrows - in EC they're yellow. I've covered the area from Jhelom to Skara, now working out towards the server line - been through the pillars too.

 

[popps]

yes, 'start tracking', you should get arrows - in EC they're yellow. I've covered the area from Jhelom to Skara, now working out towards the server line - been through the pillars too.

Ok I got the tracking to work finally though, it sends me overland too.....

By the way, if you happen to hear from a Developer for other matters, could you be so kind to put a word out in my aid to have them do something either with a Game Master or personally to help me find my ship before it is too late ? Thanks.

 

[popps]

yes, 'start tracking', you should get arrows - in EC they're yellow. I've covered the area from Jhelom to Skara, now working out towards the server line - been through the pillars too.

Petra you are great !

Thanking to the tracking utility which I was not aware even existed, I was finally able to find my ship. QUite far from my last recorded location but still in the waters around Jhelom.

The tracking did the trick, I searched several arrows here and there, moved around, most were duds but finally one led to my Berenguine !!

Thanks a lot for all of the help.

I am still upset for the non existant in-game help. It does not confort me to know that whenever I will need in-game help, chances are that I will not receive it like it has been for these past 5 days.

Something should be really done about in-game customer help because there are times when it does is needed to players.

Oh well, thanks a lot again, I can get going again.

 

[Petra Fyde]

glad you found it - and you've extended your game knowledge too. Mark new runes asap, and double check your security settings.

 

[popps]

glad you found it - and you've extended your game knowledge too. Mark new runes asap, and double check your security settings.

I have still to figure out how it moved from the location I marked in UOAutomap to the location where I found it.

The setting was still what I set, N/A for Public and DENY ACCESS for the other 2.

Perhaps the N/A setting is not 100% safe also ? I am not sure what to think.

The Hold still had the stuff I left though, there was nothing really of great importance. The good stuff has already been looted the first time when I had the setting for Public on OFFICER. This second time I was still wary and so did not feel leaving anything of real value in it so, I am not sure whether another player accessed my boat, moved it around and then took nothing off the hold since they felt it was nothing important to them or whether I was just pulled my legs by someone or what the hell happened to my ship.

Anyways, it was quite far from my marked location so it did move, how this happened I have no clue. I will keep monitoring it for a good while still before feeling its use is safe.

Thanks again for the kind help. If you can, please point out with the Developers how lacking the in-game assistance is, definately something should be done about it, 5 days with all of my pages unresolved and not responded I do not see it as acceptable.

And who knows for how many more days this could have dragged if I did not find my ship out of chance and thanking to your help. Perhaps until its decay for good when a Game Master could have found it with minutes of their time thanking to the special tools they have.

 

[PsychoKinetic]

Petra, it's people like you that keep me playing UO. Thank You.


...And I'm glad you found your boat popps.

 

[Demonous]

ive said it before and ill say it again, stop all content in UO for like 6 months and vastly improve the customer service

 

[Viper09]

ive said it before and ill say it again, stop all content in UO for like 6 months and vastly improve the customer service

Except CS isn't part of the devs section. They really have much control over CS. They have said so many times. The best thing they could do would be to focus on nothing but bugs for 6 months.

 

[popps]

Except CS isn't part of the devs section. They really have much control over CS. They have said so many times. The best thing they could do would be to focus on nothing but bugs for 6 months.

Well then, if the Developers can't do much about improving Customer Service, who would be the right person in the right position to be asked to do something to improve this VERY lacking in-game Customer Service ??

I spend hundreds of dollars a year for this "service", and I find it NOT acceptable that when I need in-game customer service I am left un-helped, ignored, unanswered for 5 days and only because of luck I can fix my issue with NO in-game help from Customer Service.... Besides, this came at a great expenditure of MY time when it would have needed just a few minutes of a Game Master's time thanking to the special tools that they have....

Should I have not bumped into my ship, I am not sure when and whether on day 6 or 7 or 8 or more I would have finally received in-game assistance.........

This is not acceptable, IMHO, for a paid service.

 

[Woodsman]

Well then, if the Developers can't do much about improving Customer Service, who would be the right person in the right position to be asked to do something to improve this VERY lacking in-game Customer Service ??

It's possibly handled at the BioWare level, but might even be handled at the EA level.

I would think it was handled at the BioWare/Mythic level since GMs are shared with Warhammer/Camelot, but EA has plenty of other properties that we might be sharing in-game support with.

 

[Miri of Sonoma]

WOOT!!! Congratulations on finding your ship Popps!! *cheers*

Petra, you rock for taking the time to help out! *smiles*

 

[Viper09]

Well then, if the Developers can't do much about improving Customer Service, who would be the right person in the right position to be asked to do something to improve this VERY lacking in-game Customer Service ??

I spend hundreds of dollars a year for this "service", and I find it NOT acceptable that when I need in-game customer service I am left un-helped, ignored, unanswered for 5 days and only because of luck I can fix my issue with NO in-game help from Customer Service.... Besides, this came at a great expenditure of MY time when it would have needed just a few minutes of a Game Master's time thanking to the special tools that they have....

Should I have not bumped into my ship, I am not sure when and whether on day 6 or 7 or 8 or more I would have finally received in-game assistance.........

This is not acceptable, IMHO, for a paid service.

EA I would think. Don't think Bioware since they were acquired recently by EA. However I must doubt you really spent much in-game time waiting on a GM or didn't word your pages correctly if you really spent up to 5 days waiting. Glad you were able to find your ship though.

 

[popps]

EA I would think. Don't think Bioware since they were acquired recently by EA. However I must doubt you really spent much in-game time waiting on a GM or didn't word your pages correctly if you really spent up to 5 days waiting. Glad you were able to find your ship though.

For the first 3 or 4 days I would log off and on to check on the pending page and whether there were GM messages for me. I would stay logged for some time each log in and spend all of the time (usually half hour to less than an hour) searching for the ship. Since I did this several times a day whenever I could "steal" time off my duties (which I could not have and should not have but I wanted to leave this UO problem behind me and so scratched my real life time here and there to try get into UO as much as I could....) then the 5th day, as I was thinking that my being logged off might affect my not receiving any news from GMs, from server up I left my paging character always logged, in the end it was many hours 'till I found it.

I did not spend all those many hours on the 5th day searching, I mostly went back and forth checking the journal for GM messages (which I found none btw...) but from time to time I also did quite some searching which, eventually, over a span of being logged quite many hours, resulted in me bumping into my ship.

So, I would say, over 5 days I did invest consderable time into this issue. Certainly, as I see it, much more time than whatever would have taken to a Game Master, with the special tools that they have, to locate my ship. That is, in order to solve my in-game issue I had to take the burden on myself, go out of my way and spend time in game even though I could not (because the ship's decay was ticking I could not postpone the issue to a better time...) and luckily with luck I bumped into my ship and all ended well but still, it frustrates me to think that if only a Game Master came to help, this issue would have been over in a few minutes the very first day of my paging, saving me a lot of trouble.

 

[Aibal]

poops, I really think you need to head to shore landlubber. I've never seen one individual with so many boat problems lol. Might want to leave the seas to the...err...more capable. I hear there's a mongbat outbreak by glow......

 

[Fayled Dhreams]

Well then, if the Developers can't do much about improving Customer Service, who would be the right person in the right position to be asked to do something to improve this VERY lacking in-game Customer Service ??

I spend hundreds of dollars a year for this "service", and I find it NOT acceptable that when I need in-game customer service I am left un-helped, ignored, unanswered for 5 days and only because of luck I can fix my issue with NO in-game help from Customer Service.... Besides, this came at a great expenditure of MY time when it would have needed just a few minutes of a Game Master's time thanking to the special tools that they have....

Should I have not bumped into my ship, I am not sure when and whether on day 6 or 7 or 8 or more I would have finally received in-game assistance.........

This is not acceptable, IMHO, for a paid service.

Dan Bussanich – GM Akamai, in-game support.
[youtube]NKndcMOLn0I[/youtube]
beginning AND >specifically< 11:30

Text of >Prior< Hoc
Off Camera: Okay, a question about how the training of GMs to UO-specific needs is going
Mesanna: GMs or EMs
Off Camera: GMs
Mesanna: That’s not our department, we cannot answer that
*laughter, but not happy laughter*
Cal: Right
Mesanna: We don’t, that’s not us.


now ... >Contacting< Dan Bussanich – GM Akamai, in-game support.
>from HERE< should have already been done
(He, da cop/sheriff, shoulda been patrolling his district ... )

Which NOW resolves down to (boat having been found)
to HERE for the contact point within the area of delegated concern ..
Dan Bussanich – GM Akamai, in-game support.

sic 'em tiger ...

 

[Tjalle]

Good to hear you found your boat, Popps.

And good job on helping him out Petra.