Anti Bot Measures/Update from Sarah

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I guess the question is why limit us at all? They have alrady cut payouts to almost nothing while leaving the pricing of items in the stratosphere. What else can they do to slow us down from making money? Oh yeah... this is it. I am sorry but trying save up for 6-7 weeks to buy a lot 0 is not going to keep new players around. With CC and all other objects through the roof, will the long time players stick around?

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't speak for the others, but this one plans to. We're talking about 6-7 calender weeks, but that is not working like a dog that whole time. You make your allotted per week and then you skill for the rest of the time, or play another game for the rest of the week, and then come back the next week and rinse and repeat. I am not going to cancel my subscription and lose all that I have worked for when there's other things I can do during the rest of the time while leaving that subscription open. Nobody HAS to play 10 hours a day, if they do that's a choice....but did you honestly think EA *wasn't* gonna do something like this with cash out on the horizon? Personally I thought it would be something like make the exchange very low, like 10k to earn a rl dollar, but they did this instead. Who knows, this might help some people break their gaming addictions, so in that sense it would be a good thing. I don't think alot of people are going to close down their accounts, I just think they'll probably be spending less time in game, but even if you only play 2 or 3 days a week, $10 a month is WAY cheaper than going to a movie, or going out bar hopping even 1 time, so it's still worth it as far as I am concerned.....and that's coming from somebody on a limited income where every penny counts.

 

[Guest]

I still think cash out is the worst thing to happen to this game. Without that, none of this would be going on. Yes, cash out works for SL. But this isn't SL. I just don't agree with what's going on.

 

[imported_Raevyn_baby]

I believe this is all preparing for the buy back crap...and it totally sucks. They should just cancel their plans to include buy back and let us play the way it was intended. I can make 10k or more easily on a Saturday working at the factory. So now they are saying 3k cap, so if I work anymore I literally won't get paid. So, try saving up to buy a big ticket item....it won't happen!

 

[Guest]

Through all of this I have a headache GRRRR this sucks totally, you can't save cause if you save you will be punished, umm yeah that is my point, so because of a lousy 2% who cheat their butts off we paying or free players get puinshed, umm excuse me, these peps behind the bots are smart, they will find a work around this and still make money the only ones I see suffering are those that don't cheat, and those that work hard for their money the right way , the cheaters win again!.. oh yeah and ea makes more money off you all who go to the atm's ,...... ummm this game makes sooo much sence its killing me, thinking of walking away now as I did several years ago for what oh yeah that is right the same dern reason ......

 

[jwilso3340]

I think this is not well thought out, and should be dropped, just like the developers stopped the simolean name change. I worked hard to get to the top of my job track, and make a lot of money. I don't want to be penalized for working hard and playing hard.
I guess we are turning into a Socialist Avatar Game?

 

[Guest]

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I still think cash out is the worst thing to happen to this game. Without that, none of this would be going on. Yes, cash out works for SL. But this isn't SL. I just don't agree with what's going on.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it has advantages and disadvantages. In SL people have made successful business ventures out of it, but they don't have the cap system in place at all. I can't fathom how that game is turning a profit with people cashing Lindens hand over fist, personally. EA is in ALOT more financial trouble, or at last our game is, so I can fully understand why they want to put a limit to their liabilities on cashing out. The players that I've talked to say that they don't want to *get rich* here, if they can cash out enough to break even on their subscription fees, they will be happy, but again I don't see how EA can afford to allow players to cash out even that much, but nor do I think they can rescind their intention to implement cash-out because that would cause an uproar from a different set of people, and that might actually cost them some accounts. I don't think this will, honestly. The only players that are gonna leave are the ones who are not dedicated to seeing this game succeed, or are so panicked that they bolt this week without even giving it a shot to SEE whether this is going to affect them or not. I don't think Luc would have been able to spout off a high number like NINETY-EIGHT percent if it wasn't at least ball-park accurate, maybe +/- as much as 20%, meaning it might be 75% instead of 98, but that still leaves the majority unaffected. I'm at least going to watch around me and see how true those figures are.

 

[Shyanne1]

You make your allotted per week and then you skill for the rest of the time, or play another game for the rest of the week, and then come back the next week and rinse and repeat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Play another game for the rest of the week? Are you cracked or what? Why would I play *and pay* for a game that will only allow me to play it a couple of days a week and then only let me do certain things (skilling) without a penalty? I highly doubt that EA would put into place something that would make players only be able to play a couple of days a week and then skirt you off to play another game for the rest of the time. I have no idea what the message means and all of the posts are speculative, however, I do know that it isn't going to be what the majority of the player base wants even if it sounds reasonable. Putting limits on what you can do in a game is not profitable for either the player or EA.

I CAN say one thing. Aren't all the players that came to the boards and complained and whined about botters happy now? Have fun playing!

 

[Guest]

Well I will head over to TC3 today and tomorrow to test it out. IF I rack up 3k and then my payouts stop or become so low that it isn't worth working? I think we have our answer.

 

[Guest]

For starters I do not believe this is bot related. Since when can a bot take an order at a restaurant and deliver the order. Since when can a bot do robots and know what is broken down. It is impossible. I am on here to have fun but the fun is bein taken from the game. It is not fun at all. What the heck next are they goin to come up with. The money objects are the only things can be used by the bots.

THis thing with people having to buy cc and objects, whatever... There are people in here have all their objects. Some of us work for fun and to see how much we can make. We work hard at it. We work hard at skill even. Where is it gettin us. It is all bein taken away. There are other ways to slim down the bots. Cuttin pay from honest players is not it. I guess they are tryin to get us all to leave the game. They need to think ahead as to what they are doin to the game.

 

[Guest]

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Yes, it could be anything. But, when the post did say they were currently testing this, I think it is safe to put two and two together. It is looks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL...it is never safe to put 2 + 2 together, unless you are absolutely certain that those are the only numbers involved!

She made numerous statements that we would not have noticed and will not notice now, so that alone seems to disallow it being §3000, because even a casual player such as myself would have seriously noticed that!

[/ QUOTE ]
What are we supposed to think?
She drops this bombshell on us then just walks away, leaving us to twist in the wind.
Her words are ALL we have to go on - that and our own experience, so it's perfectly natural to try to reason out the meaning in her muddy, unclear, post.
Working on the precept that the simplest solution is usually the right one, I think it's reasonable to conclude (in light of NO CLARIFICATION) that Dali is right and that 1 credit= 1 simoleon. The whole tone of the post reads that way. I noticed it right away, and was kinda surprised when you didn't.
Just because another explanation is possible, does not mean it is plausible.

NOIP
Like other posters before me, I am highly ticked that they didn't make themselves available to answer the questions they knew were coming.

 

[Terra Pin]

I guess really all we can do now is wait until one of the powers-that-be deigns to come explain to us what this all really means. Until then, it's all interpretive and speculative... although the way the message is worded, I can't see any positive side to any of this, nor how 98% of us wouldn't notice.

*shrug* At this point I'm willing to wait and be happily relieved. Otherwise, oh well, I've only been back for 2 weeks so I'm not terribly invested in this game. It's been fun hanging out again, but if a game isn't fun, then what's the point

PS.... what does TTL mean?

Madra/Mairi Dobalina

 

[Guest]

Exactly. I am on the blog right now and have seen 3 posts from the dev team since the news hit. 1 from Sarah saying everything will be ok and 2 from Luc trying to explain where they got the 98% from. Nothing stating how this actually will be put into effect or what happens when you run through th 3k trying to save money up to buy that 3 headed gopher CC you have been dying to have... lol

 

[Guest]

TTL means Tagged To Last... means the post isn't directed at the person they are responding to... just responding in general

 

[Guest]

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and I quote again "You debit your payout pool through activities such as buying objects, uploading custom content, buying a lot, etc."


Still pondering this.

[/ QUOTE ]
Your quote is incorrect.
<blockquote><hr>

You credit your Payout Pool through activities such as buying objects, uploading custom content, buying a lot, etc.
You debit your Payout Pool through activities such as jobs, using money objects, and getting kickbacks from others using your money objects.


[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Terra Pin]

EA-Land Town Hall is open... maybe we'll get some answers.

ETA: MaxisGreg was asked about this new 3k cap, the following is his answer:

The money pool thing can be confusing. Probably the best thing to say... it is another tool we will use to help make the game safe. We will be learning the best way to apply it over the next week or two. Please bear with us as we learn

Jump over to TC3 and help us!

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

You make your allotted per week and then you skill for the rest of the time, or play another game for the rest of the week, and then come back the next week and rinse and repeat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Play another game for the rest of the week? Are you cracked or what? Why would I play *and pay* for a game that will only allow me to play it a couple of days a week and then only let me do certain things (skilling) without a penalty? I highly doubt that EA would put into place something that would make players only be able to play a couple of days a week and then skirt you off to play another game for the rest of the time. I have no idea what the message means and all of the posts are speculative, however, I do know that it isn't going to be what the majority of the player base wants even if it sounds reasonable. Putting limits on what you can do in a game is not profitable for either the player or EA.

I CAN say one thing. Aren't all the players that came to the boards and complained and whined about botters happy now? Have fun playing!

[/ QUOTE ]

Nobody is skirting anybody off or telling them that they CAN only play for a couple days a week, just that it is an option.....if you don't want to play after you've earned your 3k pool for the week, you don't have to, but you can. It's a choice, just as it always has been. My point was saying that it isn't worth paying $10 a month just because you can't do exactly what you want to every minute you are in game is ludicrous. Those that are determined not to leave won't, they will find something else to do in game or they will fill that time with other stuff, while still paying the $10 to EA. EA as a company isn't gonna care whether somebody logs in for 4 hours a day, 1 hour a day or 4 hours a week, its the same $10 they are getting. I am commited to doing what I can to see this game work so they will continue to get my $10/month x2, especially since as you say all this is speculative and we don't really *KNOW* what impact its gonna have, so those who are leaving now are jumping the gun and potentially could put the whole game in jeopardy, especially when it might be for nothing.

 

[Shyanne1]

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so those who are leaving now are jumping the gun and potentially could put the whole game in jeopardy

[/ QUOTE ]

You would blame the people that quit the game for putting it in Jeopardy? Huh, I don't get it and really why would the ones leaving care?

 

[Guest]

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so those who are leaving now are jumping the gun and potentially could put the whole game in jeopardy

[/ QUOTE ]

The people leavin are not putting the game in jeopardy. EaLand is putting the game in jeopardy. Or should I say the changes to EaLand is putting it in jeopardy.

 

[Guest]

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I believe this is all preparing for the buy back crap...and it totally sucks. They should just cancel their plans to include buy back and let us play the way it was intended. I can make 10k or more easily on a Saturday working at the factory. So now they are saying 3k cap, so if I work anymore I literally won't get paid. So, try saving up to buy a big ticket item....it won't happen!

[/ QUOTE ]

Nowhere does it say that after the 3k you won't get paid at all It says that you will start to see your payouts drop. I'd imagine that it drops the more over the 3k you go, but I wouldn't think it'd reach zero until you get double or maybe even triple over that mark....but that part is just a supposition, but I do know that it doesn't mention anywhere in that post that a person will reach a zero payout as soon as he goes over the 3k cap.

 

[imported_Trudymac]

*TTL*

I am not at all surprised at this. In fact, I have been waiting for the bomb to drop. Not that I knew HOW it was going to go - I didn't. A few weeks ago, I sat down and figured out that if a person jammed 24/7/365, they could earn 384 USD worth of simoleans per month (greening time included). Obviously, no one but bots will attempt to do so, BUT, lets say you only jammed for just 5% of that monthly period - you would still make 20 US dollars worth of simoleans (approximately 20,000simoleans) per month - enough to pay your 9.95 account fee and then some - which means NO profit (and in fact, a loss) for EA, since the simoleans you just sold to them were created out of thin air BY THEM. So they would be handing you money, to play.

I made almost 5k jamming yesterday - half of my subscription fee there in ONE SITTING. So, they simply cannot allow us to make the kind of money we have been making, or they will go in the red immediately upon enabling cash-outs, and EA Brass will pull the plug on a game that was already supposed to have shut down.

That said - I am miffed that they are apparently trying to pass this off as a anti-bot measure, in it's entirety. I think that this is about bots to a certain extent, but that it's more about limiting how much all of us can make, for the simple economic profit/loss reasons I have outlined above. I don't enjoy being mislead, even if only partially. Seems that EA is taking a play right out of Linden Lab's play book here, and I am not liking it. Affects 2%? I just don't see it that way at all. They are affecting 100% of us, and I think this has been planned for quite a while. It had to be, or EA Brass would have never approved the cash-out function.

 

[Guest]

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*TTL*

I am not at all surprised at this. In fact, I have been waiting for the bomb to drop. Not that I knew HOW it was going to go - I didn't. A few weeks ago, I sat down and figured out that if a person jammed 24/7/365, they could earn 384 USD worth of simoleans per month (greening time included). Obviously, no one but bots will attempt to do so, BUT, lets say you only jammed for just 5% of that monthly period - you would still make 20 US dollars worth of simoleans (approximately 20,000simoleans) per month - enough to pay your 9.95 account fee and then some - which means NO profit (and in fact, a loss) for EA, since the simoleans you just sold to them were created out of thin air BY THEM. So they would be handing you money, to play.

I made almost 5k jamming yesterday - half of my subscription fee there in ONE SITTING. So, they simply cannot allow us to make the kind of money we have been making, or they will go in the red immediately upon enabling cash-outs, and EA Brass will pull the plug on a game that was already supposed to have shut down.

That said - I am miffed that they are apparently trying to pass this off as a anti-bot measure, in it's entirety. I think that this is about bots to a certain extent, but that it's more about limiting how much all of us can make, for the simple economic profit/loss reasons I have outlined above. I don't enjoy being mislead, even if only partially. Seems that EA is taking a play right out of Linden Lab's play book here, and I am not liking it. Affects 2%? I just don't see it that way at all. They are affecting 100% of us, and I think this has been planned for quite a while. It had to be, or EA Brass would have never approved the cash-out function.

[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed.
But what bites *me* in the [biblical beast of burden] is the fact that there have been many worthwhile suggestions, not only for stopping the bots (NOTE: yes, "stopping"), but also for alternative ways for EA to make extra bucks that don't affect the casual player AT ALL, but they were all ignored.

 

[imported_Trudymac]

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Agreed.
But what bites *me* in the [biblical beast of burden] is the fact that there have been many worthwhile suggestions, not only for stopping the bots (NOTE: yes, "stopping"), but also for alternative ways for EA to make extra bucks that don't affect the casual player AT ALL, but they were all ignored.

[/ QUOTE ]Oh, I agree, and what you've said only further reinforces my belief that this is about a lot more than just bots.

 

[Guest]

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Agreed.
But what bites *me* in the [biblical beast of burden] is the fact that there have been many worthwhile suggestions, not only for stopping the bots (NOTE: yes, "stopping"), but also for alternative ways for EA to make extra bucks that don't affect the casual player AT ALL, but they were all ignored.

[/ QUOTE ]Oh, I agree, and what you've said only further reinforces my belief that this is about a lot more than just bots.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everybody knows that, so I don't feel 'misled', really. *Any* company is going to spin things that are going to be seen as mostly negative to put it in a positive light. I think it's to EA's credit that they have been as forthcoming with this as they have been......they could have just kept mum and let us all wonder why payouts dropped for us after we earned a certain amount and *then* spilled the beans after people started getting upset. THAT would have been misleading, IMO and its something that a year ago I wouldn't have put past them.

 

[forsure01]

YOU are absolutely right, it should say credit, But Donavan the outcome is what really counts, Doesn't it?

If you spend 10,000 of the money you have put away on buying objects,uploading custom content, buying a lot, etc., you will increase your pool from the starting $3,000 to $13,000. Is that not how you read it? Am I incorrect?

 

[Shyanne1]

Ok, I give EA credit for being so forthcoming as to tell me that from now on we are literally going to be screwed. Good job EA!

 

[Guest]

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YOU are absolutely right, it should say credit, But Donavan the outcome is what really counts, Doesn't it?

If you spend 10,000 of the money you have put away on buying objects,uploading custom content, buying a lot, etc., you will increase your pool from the starting $3,000 to $13,000. Is that not how you read it? Am I incorrect?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure if you can increase your pool beyond the 3k per week, but maybe you can.....if nothing else I'd say that that would increase your pool to 6k, if not the 13k. It depends on whether 3k is the absolute max, and whether they are retroactively counting money that was earned and being saved before they implemented this. Good question to go ask in the Town Hall though since it is open.

 

[Guest]

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Ok, I give EA credit for being so forthcoming as to tell me that from now on we are literally going to be screwed. Good job EA!

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no, thanks the botters for this.

 

[Guest]

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YOU are absolutely right, it should say credit, But Donavan the outcome is what really counts, Doesn't it?

If you spend 10,000 of the money you have put away on buying objects,uploading custom content, buying a lot, etc., you will increase your pool from the starting $3,000 to $13,000. Is that not how you read it? Am I incorrect?

[/ QUOTE ]
Don't get upset - if you had made any further arguments based on that incorrect quote, the sharks would have torn you apart. I just wanted to correct you before that happened.

Edit: as to the rest of your question - I don't think so, I believe you can only credit your cap up to the stated limit of 3000. But, only a dev can say for sure, and they are not talking.

 

[imported_Dali Dalinza]

Greg just clarified. The 3000 credits refers to 3000 simoleans.

 

[Guest]

You are correct. The problem is getting to that 10k mark. Mind you, we are not talking about people who are currently in game who have alot of money. Me, I spend as I earn. I spend most of my money tipping houses that I go to. As stated before, tipping will stop since tipping does not go towards the 3k. That will affect house owners and roomies right away. Then, you have the issue of those who want to make money to buy that 10k lot. Well, you make 3k as usual, then the payouts start to drop. 500 per week gets put back in, but you haven't spent a penny since you are saving up for that lot.

After the person buys that lot, yes, they will have lots of money in the pool. Until that point, payouts will get lower and lower.

 

[imported_Trudymac]

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Agreed.
But what bites *me* in the [biblical beast of burden] is the fact that there have been many worthwhile suggestions, not only for stopping the bots (NOTE: yes, "stopping"), but also for alternative ways for EA to make extra bucks that don't affect the casual player AT ALL, but they were all ignored.

[/ QUOTE ]Oh, I agree, and what you've said only further reinforces my belief that this is about a lot more than just bots.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everybody knows that, so I don't feel 'misled', really. *Any* company is going to spin things that are going to be seen as mostly negative to put it in a positive light. I think it's to EA's credit that they have been as forthcoming with this as they have been......they could have just kept mum and let us all wonder why payouts dropped for us after we earned a certain amount and *then* spilled the beans after people started getting upset. THAT would have been misleading, IMO and its something that a year ago I wouldn't have put past them.

[/ QUOTE ]Saying that this will only affect 2% when it will certainly affect almost all of us is misleading, even if you and I see it as spin. So in the end, you're agreeing with me, just in different words. Because that is what I am saying - they are spinning it. I have a right to not be impressed by it. You have a right to be ambivalent about it.

 

[Guest]

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As stated before, tipping will stop since tipping does not go towards the 3k. That will affect house owners and roomies right away.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tipping should not stop entirely because of this. People still realize that food isn't free so if they stop tipping at least for the cost of that food then that makes them selfish moochers no better than the free players that some people drone on and on about. If tipping comes to a dead halt then I will change my stance and support house owners and roomies ceasing HC all together and using the buffet tables that will allow them to charge the $1 a plate that food costs, thereby forcing sims to either fork over that much or go hungry. I cannot and will not countenance selfishness.

 

[Guest]

Ok. I should have said it this way. Tipping, as we know it now, would no longer exsist. I would not be able to tip 300-500 simoleans to the house since we would have to watch our money. 50-100 maybe. People will become much tighter than they already are with their money when they learn what will and will not count towards the 3k.

 

[Shyanne1]

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As stated before, tipping will stop since tipping does not go towards the 3k. That will affect house owners and roomies right away.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tipping should not stop entirely because of this. People still realize that food isn't free so if they stop tipping at least for the cost of that food then that makes them selfish moochers no better than the free players that some people drone on and on about. If tipping comes to a dead halt then I will change my stance and support house owners and roomies ceasing HC all together and using the buffet tables that will allow them to charge the $1 a plate that food costs, thereby forcing sims to either fork over that much or go hungry. I cannot and will not countenance selfishness.

[/ QUOTE ]

All that is going to do is bring the houses that do offer food up further in the top 100. I don't think that houses in the top 10 now will do that. Anyway, do the tip jars even tell you who tipped. I tip a lot and have never been thanked (which would be nice) and I'm not one to call out "I'm tipping you so you know it was me".

 

[Guest]

You can make people pay for there food and set the buffet at 10$

 

[Guest]

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Agreed.
But what bites *me* in the [biblical beast of burden] is the fact that there have been many worthwhile suggestions, not only for stopping the bots (NOTE: yes, "stopping"), but also for alternative ways for EA to make extra bucks that don't affect the casual player AT ALL, but they were all ignored.

[/ QUOTE ]Oh, I agree, and what you've said only further reinforces my belief that this is about a lot more than just bots.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everybody knows that, so I don't feel 'misled', really. *Any* company is going to spin things that are going to be seen as mostly negative to put it in a positive light. I think it's to EA's credit that they have been as forthcoming with this as they have been......they could have just kept mum and let us all wonder why payouts dropped for us after we earned a certain amount and *then* spilled the beans after people started getting upset. THAT would have been misleading, IMO and its something that a year ago I wouldn't have put past them.

[/ QUOTE ]Saying that this will only affect 2% when it will certainly affect almost all of us is misleading, even if you and I see it as spin. So in the end, you're agreeing with me, just in different words. Because that is what I am saying - they are spinning it. I have a right to not be impressed by it. You have a right to be ambivalent about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Calling it a spin is more benign than using the word 'mislead'. What they did is no different than any company does in situations like this.....accentuate the positive play down the negative, all within the confines of the law so that it cannot be called false advertising. The way you stated it it was as if EA is trying to hose us and pull the wool over our eyes and my point was if they were gonna do that, they would have and just not said anything at all. I've seen that happen before, and I've even seen EA do it with this very game, so I am giving credit where credit is due that they did NOT do this this time.

And of course you're entitled to not be impressed....actually I'm not impressed with certain aspects of this plan myself, but my motto is always to look for the good side of things, so when I thought about it I actually made a list of pro's and con's, and they were almost even and not totally bad the way it seems alot of players are perceiving this. This is day 1 of the announcement, Greg is in the Town Hall now, and only one question has been answered here by players that are there.....that the 3000 credits refers to simoleans. I look forward to seeing more of the questions answered.

 

[Guest]

No tip jars do not tell you who tipped and how much they tip. I have been thanked only because a roomie or owner saw me tipping them. The idea for me when I tip is not to get the recognition of tipping. When they look at the tip jar and see some money in there, they know someone appreciated them. I think money houses and jobs will be packed for the rest of this weekend for people trying to make as much as possible before this comes to EA LAnd

 

[Guest]

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As stated before, tipping will stop since tipping does not go towards the 3k. That will affect house owners and roomies right away.

[/ QUOTE ]

Tipping should not stop entirely because of this. People still realize that food isn't free so if they stop tipping at least for the cost of that food then that makes them selfish moochers no better than the free players that some people drone on and on about. If tipping comes to a dead halt then I will change my stance and support house owners and roomies ceasing HC all together and using the buffet tables that will allow them to charge the $1 a plate that food costs, thereby forcing sims to either fork over that much or go hungry. I cannot and will not countenance selfishness.

[/ QUOTE ]

All that is going to do is bring the houses that do offer food up further in the top 100. I don't think that houses in the top 10 now will do that. Anyway, do the tip jars even tell you who tipped. I tip a lot and have never been thanked (which would be nice) and I'm not one to call out "I'm tipping you so you know it was me".

[/ QUOTE ]

No, the tip jars don't say who tipped, they just show the total amount in your tip jar, but I'm not sure I understand what that has to do with the subject. And yes you're probably right, the players who can afford to hit the ATM once or twice a month to fund feeding their guests will probably rise to the top of the list by not charging, but I still think it'll be possible to get within the top 10-15 without doing that, though probably not the #1-5 positions. Myself, I do not plan to decrease the amount that I tip just because it won't be counted toward my 'weekly spenditures' because if I do and those houses close, I will know it is partially my fault that they closed.....which since I love all the houses that I frequent, and do not want to see them close, I'm not gonna do that. Paying for your food would cost sims who play 10 hours a day roughly 100 simoleans a day or 700 simoleans a week if you're not tipping extra for serenades and things of the like, which I even do that. Still even with that 700 not counting toward the 3000, that's still 2300 simoleans a week that you can replenish rapidly. It's not going to kill people to start thinking of others besides themselves.

 

[Guest]

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I think money houses and jobs will be packed for the rest of this weekend for people trying to make as much as possible before this comes to EA LAnd

[/ QUOTE ]

That's another thing to be grateful for...players who play primarily in EA Land got advanced notice that this was coming. TC3 players did not, we're just told it already happened. When you consider that then I believe there's even less room to complain because you have time to prepare for it.

 

[imported_Trudymac]

<blockquote><hr>

Calling it a spin is more benign than using the word 'mislead'. What they did is no different than any company does in situations like this.....accentuate the positive play down the negative, all within the confines of the law so that it cannot be called false advertising. The way you stated it it was as if EA is trying to hose us and pull the wool over our eyes and my point was if they were gonna do that, they would have and just not said anything at all. I've seen that happen before, and I've even seen EA do it with this very game, so I am giving credit where credit is due that they did NOT do this this time.

And of course you're entitled to not be impressed....actually I'm not impressed with certain aspects of this plan myself, but my motto is always to look for the good side of things, so when I thought about it I actually made a list of pro's and con's, and they were almost even and not totally bad the way it seems alot of players are perceiving this. This is day 1 of the announcement, Greg is in the Town Hall now, and only one question has been answered here by players that are there.....that the 3000 credits refers to simoleans. I look forward to seeing more of the questions answered.

[/ QUOTE ]I meant mislead as in spun. They are very similar words, neither of which sound positive, in my dictionary. I am sorry that mislead is not to your particular taste. So, substitute "spun" where I said mislead.

And for someone trying to come off as not cynical, claiming that all companies spin things is an awfully cynical outlook. It also isn't true, in my experience.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I think money houses and jobs will be packed for the rest of this weekend for people trying to make as much as possible before this comes to EA LAnd

[/ QUOTE ]

That's another thing to be grateful for...players who play primarily in EA Land got advanced notice that this was coming. TC3 players did not, we're just told it already happened. When you consider that then I believe there's even less room to complain because you have time to prepare for it.

[/ QUOTE ]I think they had to say something. Too many TC3 players come on here and would have said something.

 

[Shyanne1]

<blockquote><hr>

When you consider that then I believe there's even less room to complain because you have time to prepare for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, do you read what you write? We have less of a complaint because they TOLD us about it beforehand.

Don't you think that having time to prepare for it puts people at a higher advantage than others, which I believe in reading many of your posts, is unfair?

 

[SammiiBeta]

I think its a bit confusing to read and well Its weekend so its my brains day off. I'm just gonna wait and see what happens and voice complaints after the fact. LoL


But I wanted to say a big thank you to Devs for letting us know that your doing all you can to keep botters from yet again running our game.

Any Typos or mispellings in this post can me attributed to my 5 years of using huked on fonix lol

 

[Guest]

Ok. let me try to put this in a way that it is not confusing. TC3 is exactly that. Things can change at a moments notice. EA Land is in Beta but it is not a test center. Yes, it was nice of them to give us a heads up but does it make it right to implement something like this? I don't think so. We have been talking all day about how many people would actually fall into the 2% they are talking about without using botting programs. Unfortunately my previous post was cut short since I am at work and had something to do... so it was incomplete.

Here in lies the problem. Many people on here are jumping to conclusions. I am one of them... or at least I was until I decided to test it for myself in TC3 tomorrow. If payouts go down as I make money because more of my 3k pool is being used, then no, I don't think it is right. Mind you, I will do this while I work at a job track... since this is the one place that botters can't be at.

I am still not sure why they are doing this to the job tracks since the botters can't go there. Why not just do this to the money objects for the time being and see if that gets rid of them? Up the payouts a bit in the job tracks and the real players can do that to make money. I know some people don't like the job tracks. But, it might be a viable thing to try as a temporary thing for the game. I will have to wait until I test it out myself.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

And for someone trying to come off as not cynical, claiming that all companies spin things is an awfully cynical outlook. It also isn't true, in my experience.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's only cynical if I thought something was wrong with it. I don't......it's just a fact that it is a common marketing technique, and a useful one. Saying that wasn't a dig at companies that do it, it was just a statement that they do. I have not gotten back to the point that I am cynical, though I was once......it is BECAUSE of that that I am being extra careful not to get that way again.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

When you consider that then I believe there's even less room to complain because you have time to prepare for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, do you read what you write? We have less of a complaint because they TOLD us about it beforehand.

Don't you think that having time to prepare for it puts people at a higher advantage than others, which I believe in reading many of your posts, is unfair?

[/ QUOTE ]

What I said was that those in EA Land have an advantage over those in TC3. TC3 players were given no advance warning of this.....it's already started, therefore that is something that EA Landers should count as a blessing. Do I think it's right that you got this advantage? No, I don't....but you did get it so I believe that should cut down on some of the complaining that is going on now.

 

[Terra Pin]

Well said Duncan. I've decided to go skill up *shudders* yet another sim, but over in TC3 so I can test this out the way *I* play. Which is by making money at money items like jam tables.

So lets all test the hell out of this concept they have before it hits EA-Land! Who's with me!!

Yeah yeah... I just don't want to skill alone

Madra/Mairi Dobalina/Madra

 

[imported_Dali Dalinza]

*TTL*

Someone asked Greg, "When we get this 3000 cap, if we spend it are we able to make more in that week?"

Greg replied: "Assuming that 3000 is the cap, and no activity has been done that refills it, that account would not be able to earn more, until whatwever amount dribbled in."

Account...not avatar.

Greg also clarified that the 3000 amount was a place to start ("We had to start somewhere") and is subject to going up or down as their observation warrants. What Greg added was that "non-botting behavior" would somehow affect the cap. Non-botting behavior examples were given as making friends, socializing, and skilling. I commented that this last bit of information is something I think everyone needs to know.

From what Greg said, the "non-botting behavior" measurement is what Sarah meant when she stated only 2% of players would be affected. I gather that the botters, or suspected botters, make up 2% or so of the player base, and these players don't act like normal players. That said, Greg avoided being pinned down much, and I got the impression he might not know the specifics himself. Sarah needs to hit the town hall circuit soon, lol.

Edited to add: "Specifics" meaning about how the calculation would affect us, or concern us. Of course I don't expect any dev to share specifics that would aid botters in their quests. (So...put the flame throwers down and back away.)

 

[Guest]

Greg has been answering questions in the Town Hall on this.

It is in TC3 being tested. The 3k cap (which is 3k in simoleans) is not set in stone - if it is set too low (or too high), it will be tweaked and fine tuned until it is set at a level that is not detrimental to the player base as a whole.

Greg thinks this will take a few weeks of testing, but it may work out quicker.

If you have made your 3k in the week and have not spent any or done anything else that might count towards your "pool" then you will not be able to make anymore.

He also said that it is not their intention or desire to set a "cap" on everyone as this wouldn't be beneficial or advantageous to the game.

This needs to be tested as much as possible in TC3 and detailed feedback provided so that the level can be tuned.

Polly

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Greg also clarified that the 3000 amount was a place to start ("We had to start somewhere") and is subject to going up or down as their observation warrants. What Greg added was that "non-botting behavior" would somehow affect the cap. Non-botting behavior examples were given as making friends, socializing, and skilling. I commented that this last bit of information is something I think everyone needs to know.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so the 3,000 limit isn't steadfast...if they find out players are hitting that level too easily perhaps they will raise it up. Time will tell. He is correct about the botting behaviors......the botters that stick out like a sore thumb have always been the ones with only one maxed skill and no other points, and usually no friend links that isn't the person's own sims. I'd be interested to know though what it would take to fall outside that parameter, but of course they can't tell us that because then every botter would just try to achieve it to cast suspicion off himself/herself. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out this week. I am skilling today since the spike is going on, but tomorrow and Monday I will make it a point to do my job track in excess of 3,000 and try to determine how much the pay is cut after that mark since I do have alot more points than just the ones I can lock on that sim, and do have over double the amount of friends needed to reach the top of the job track.