Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please fix)

[Madrid]

Here’s a new one at least for me. Anyone seen this before?

A player has placed two hidden characters in front of my vendors on Atlantic with the intention of tying up my items in limbo by bringing up the buy menu and letting it sit there in perpetuity. Doing this makes it so that I cannot pull the item off the vendor and other players are unable to buy the item. Both myself and another player will get a message “That item is being considered for purchase”.

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that this player is setting up trial accounts while doing this. This has been going on for some time now and the character is there 24/7 hidden doing this.
I’ve paged GM’s twice now (yesterday and Today) and have been told “the matter is under investigation” yet the two characters remain running the script and are preventing me from taking items off my vendor and other players from buying.

The main item here in question is Crystal Shards. This player didn’t like me charging less than him and has resorted to very dirty tactics in order to stifle the competition.

Shame on the GMs working on Atlantic for doing nothing. The guy even went so far as to name one of his characters after me. Brutal competition on Atlantic Folks! It almost funny but at the same time extremely cheesy tactic by the offending player to thwart fair market competition.

If the GM’s are unwilling to do nothing about this I’d like to lobby for the “item being considered for purchase’ by limiting it to a limit of one or even better first come first serve.

Any advice or feedback from players about how to circumvent this ridiculous behavior is appreciated. I don’t want to lower myself and resort to similar tactics.

Below are a couple of screenshots of me tracking the hidden player. Surely if I can spot him a GM can. Screenshot 1 player is hidden directly above me. Screenshot two hidden player is to my left.

 

[UOPlayer4LYFE]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

+1 Creativity to the griefer in question.

 

[Spyderis]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Have you tried casting reveal and see who is there?

 

[clarkifer]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

I know where this comment will lead..... KILL HIM!!!! hahahahahahaha ( I don't need remarks of tram and fel.... i know the difference... just stirring the pot

 

[tuuvaak]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

cute trick, and not surprising. remember all ye faithful, atlantic is where the 1% lives (woo current events reference!)

incoming tip for ATL merchants:
do not - DO NOT -flaunt your wealth there. try to stay under the radar. anything else invites griefing, or worse. powerful players there are very powerful players.

i'm guessing this competitor of yours owns his place?
the old saying goes: 'you don't get a luna house on atlantic without killing a couple children.' or something to that effect.

change up the vendors you use. rent for the short term, and restock small quants often, rather than loading up. makes it harder for the gougers to spot your deals. try to sell direct at the bank. its boring, and requires being at your PC, but you're better off if you're undercutting.

don't rely on GMs. we've been complaining about them since 1997. they're like the po-po. they're 'overworked' rolleyes:, often mean, and probably didn't do all that well in high school. talking to them usually just gets you in trouble. plus, they can be influenced. no secret there!

just like IRL, you can best fight 'the man(s)' by being the invisible hyper ninja warrior of selling stuff. especially on atlantic

i am so anonymous on atlantic that i don't even know the names of my own characters. i recommend you do the same!

 

[Viper09]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Wow. Now this is unique. Not really much you can do here other than keep trying to page on this person. You know the players name through tracking hopefully you'll get lucky and get a GM who will watch this person for a little bit to see what is really going on.

 

[Madrid]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Have you tried casting reveal and see who is there?

Revealing spell doesn't appear to work...maybe it's a trammel thing.

I know the characters names on what I believe to be trial accounts as they appear hidden on the tracking menu 24/7 however it's against stratics policy to name names. But he named one of his characters after me...the gaul!

I do know the player's vendor as I was in direction competition with him for quite some time until he pulled this but don't know any of his character names. He goes hidden when restocking his vendor.

Greedy little bugger. I matched prices with him time and time again but each and every time he would lower and then finally resorted to pulling these tactics.

Life in the big city on Atlantic. The whole thing is rather childish and amusing but it's also down right dirty of the player.

Two things:
1st) Something like this should't be able to happen in the first place. Another player shouldn't be able to prevent you from taking items off your own vendor or other players from buying it simply because it's in his "queue".

2) GM's should have addressed the issue and done something about it when I paged. Two times I paged and was told the matter was being "investigated". What's there to investigate? A player is standing there hidden 24/7 and I'm unable to take items off my vendor and other players can buy said items.

A **** poor job by whatever GMs were on those shifts when I paged.

 

[PitrGri]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

powerful players there are very powerful players.

lol?

 

[Symma]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Glad I play on Siege. Good ole fashioned player justice would have sorted this

But back to the thread. Its certainly original but I don't condone it lol.

 

[temu]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

This thread made me chuckle.

 

[Lady Michelle]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

if all those vendors in the house are all yours, and not rentals. Go into custom mode, and then out it sends your vendors to the movig crate. to get the vendors click on your character to bring up your menu to get your vendors. once the vendor is placed you can remove the item.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Yup... makes you wonder why people would play anything else than siege...

And yes, Atlantic has very powerful people...

Didn't it strike anyone as odd that Richard Gariott and Starr Long lives in austin texas (west coast) but left pacific to play on atlantic (ping not as good) as soon as it opened.

He *Richard Gariott* has participated in two expeditions in search of meteorites on the continent of Antarctica during which he was able to witness spectacular views of the continent he still describes as the most beautiful place on earth. His other travels have taken him to the bottom of the Atlantic to see the Titanic

Humm... he was looking for blackrock... stones...

Dr. David Zink wrote a book titled The Stones Of Atlantis describing his research concerning the Bimini Blocks, as well as linking Atlantis to legends of "Pleiadian Gods" which are prevalent in Central and South America

hmm... pattern much ?

Long ago ran the sun on a folk who had a dream
And the heart and the will and the power:
They moved the earth; they carved the stone; moulded hill and channeled stream
That we might stand on the wide plains of Wiltshire

Now men asked who they were, how they built and wonder why
That they wrought standing stones of such size What was done 'neath our shade? What was pray'ed 'neath our skies
As we stood on the wyrd plains of Wiltshire

Oh what secrets we could tell if you'd listen and be still
Rid the stink and the noise from our skirts
But you haven't got the clue and perhaps you never will
Mute we stand on the cold plains of Wiltshire

Still we loom in the mists as the ages roll away
And we say of our folk, "they are here!"
That they built us and they died and you'll not be knowing why
Save we stand on the bare plains of Wiltshire

 

[Assia Penryn]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

I think you've come to the right place and hopefully Mesanna or someone else will see this. I'm really glad this tactic has been brought into the light and hopefully will be fixed asap.

If only someone would use a gold crystal in that area. They never get used when I think they should. Hehe. Might free up your items long enough for you to pull them off.

If you let the contract run out, will the owner place you again? Maybe short contracts and hopping vendors around especially in a large shop will be enough of a headache they'll knock it off. You could try multiple vendors including outside of luna, they'll probably run out of accounts eventually.

 

[Lythos-]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

This thread made me chuckle.

Me too!! I never had a 2nd thought this could ever happen.

Hate to laugh at someone's expense but LOL.

 

[Ned888]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

And a new chapter in the saga unfolds.

Since this one is pretty blatant, I don't see why a GM doesn't step in. Especially if it happens for more than an hour!

If a player got disconnected while viewing merch, I can see how they would linger for a while, but if it happens for more than an hour with NO purchase, then there is obviously something fishy....

It's weak that a GM didn't come to your aid, and it will be even weaker if a Dev doesn't step in and find out which GM failed to address your issue.

 

[Ludes]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Glad I play on Siege. Good ole fashioned player justice would have sorted this

But back to the thread. Its certainly original but I don't condone it lol.

Likewise.

Well I actually play On Catskills too but...

I do agree that this should be something that a GM could easily verify and take steps on.

Please keep us updated on how this turns out.

 

[tuuvaak]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

lol?

old meme is old

 

[Ned888]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

I do believe your plight has been noticed. I would not be suprised if you received some sort of response or resolution soon....

 

[Madrid]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

I do believe your plight has been noticed. I would not be suprised if you received some sort of response or resolution soon....

I hope your right...

He was still there when I went and looked a few minutes ago. The real trouble lies in the use of trial accounts to commit such cheesy acts. There's nothing to stop the player from firing up another trial account and going right back at it. Unfortunately the GM's with their lack of response didn't instill much confidence in me.

The best scenerio would be to change the code so this type of thing can't happen at all to anyone...ever.

 

[LadyNico]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Extremely annoying, but you have to admit it's also very clever.

I hope it's remedied soon for you, and for all merchants.

 

[chad]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

That's what you get for undercutting me. Pay me 100 mil and I'll stop.

 

[Ludes]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

That's what you get for undercutting me. Pay me 100 mil and I'll stop.

Sheesh.. a "Seasoned Veteran" actually admitting to griefing and exploiting right here on Stratics.. wah he sells them for less than you.

I hope you get booted off Stratics and your accounts get banned.. I paged on you too.

i didn't really want to buy anything off the OP.. but you denying me my right to do so pissed me off.

So I'll stand here by the vendor till I get a response from a GM.. Even though I don't even play on this shard.

 

[Ludes]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

And just in case your a PvP'er... yeah it's your moms fault for not teaching you how to play well with others.


P.S. sorry Mods.. I had to do it.

 

[Lythos-]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

He was joking. And now if he's like me, laughing.pretty.hard.

Anyways, 1980 called, they want their mama putdown back.

 

[RaDian FlGith]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Here's my question...

If he didn't like you selling them for less, why didn't he just buy all of yours and sell them at his higher price? Unless you have an endless supply, and there's a minimal demand, he could have profited off of your work.

 

[Larisa]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Weird...I just bought some crystal shards off that vendor..so either:

A: He's not there 24/7

OR

B: He got a little vacation

Either way I never had a chance to get the crystal shards so..thanks!

Okay he's there on the second one but if you're fast enough you can buy them cus I just did

If I had more money I'd buy em all from ya just to spite whoever's doin it, even though I think it's an interesting way to grief someone, it's still griefing and unacceptable.

*wishes for some blackrock*

 

[Ludes]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

He was joking. And now if he's like me, laughing.pretty.hard.

Anyways, 1980 called, they want their mama putdown back.

I can take a joke..
But for all I know the Op's sole existance in Uo is working his vendors.. what right does anyone have to use a exploit to block ME from buying from him? maybe I know the guy.. maybe I pay his price cause he's a friend of mine..or my guilds? Bottom line is YOU don't get the right to choose who I buy off..

And yeah I agree Lythos, the mom thing is a cheap shot.. I meant it in a facetious manner.

 

[Madrid]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Weird...I just bought some crystal shards off that vendor..so either:

A: He's not there 24/7

OR

B: He got a little vacation

Either way I never had a chance to get the crystal shards so..thanks!

Okay he's there on the second one but if you're fast enough you can buy them cus I just did

If I had more money I'd buy em all from ya just to spite whoever's doin it, even though I think it's an interesting way to grief someone, it's still griefing and unacceptable.

*wishes for some blackrock*

Thanks for the patrongage. Just checked 5 minutes ago...

The guy's still there in full force at both my vendor spots with a hidden character.

I figured out this morning that there is a limit to how many items you can put in your buy queu so instead of stacks of 10 I loaded up my vendor with stacks of 1. So there will be some overflow in the number of items and some should be available. If I put under certain amount then can tie them all up.

Child's play really and this whole thing is pretty silly.

Honestly though..the lack of action allowing the character carry on in this manner is a bit alarming.

At least we're all getting a good a laugh out of this.

 

[Dermott of LS]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

...

I don't know why the buy queue doesn't have a timer attached to it anyway. For that matter I always thought that murder count gumps should have a timer on them as well.

 

[Ahuaeyjnkxs]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Yeah we all agree its a pathetic tactic... not even logical... which is even more disturbing...

 

[Ludes]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

And your griefer is gone.. Just checked and all the vendors at that store are available.

And P.S. even though I can't be "personally" involved.. I hope the griefer involved "heeds" what they 'heard".

 

[Wojoe]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Im going to bet the cheat program has more active accounts then EA has,,,,thats what you call a EPIC FAIL

Paging is useless, youd be better off logging out for 2 months.

 

[Basara]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Personally, if someone did that to me, I'd try to catch him off at server maintenance and take the stuff off the vendor, then rent a vendor in Fel to sell the items on. That way, he'd be revealable and killable. And, leave a book sealed and locked down for contact info as to how to buy the items directly from you without a vendor, in other facets.

 

[BigEv]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

Well about 15-20 min ago Guy must still be there. Can't buy crystals like u say...how dumb...good luck

 

[Apetul]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

There is a time out when u try to buy any item from a vendor and u dont click "ok"... so the guy's script is trying to buy the items again after a number of seconds.

Just an idea.. since there is a number limit of items that a char can buy at the same time, u should put 1 crystal shard next to a bag with tons of them, on different places inside the bag, that way any customer can easily find those crystals. (if u stack crystals on the same bag location, people using 2d client will get the "item is being considered.." message)

Another "fun" option to try is..

1. tame a greater dragon
2. release the greater dragon in a location close by your shop
3. use any char with magery to attack the greater dragon
4. move that char next to the hidden scripter
5. cast invisibility
6. the greater dragon will try to reveal you, and THEY can reveal chars on a trammel facet
7. if you were on the same spot as the hidden scripter, he will be revealed too
8. ban the scripter from the vendor house

*3: you can use a ninjitsu char with smoke bombs instead of a mage

2nd option:
1. use a yellow crystals to release a harbinger and let a dragon attack him very close to the hidden scripter, that will get revealed *and* killed.

ps: option 1 is cheaper, both options are fun

 

[aarons6]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

i would have already done option 1 before posting lol..

 

[Black Sun]

Re: Blatant Abuse of Game Mechanics & Scripting (GM’s have done nothing-Devs please f

We're not going to continue discussing how to grief a griefer. You've paged a GM, there's really nothing more you can do but hope they either resolve it or that the person doing this realizes they're acting like a child and stops throwing a hissy fit.