Can't wait till we get this update in EAL

[Guest]

Taken from the blog

3/12/2008 Update to Test Center 3 Only Version 2.1651.0.0
Posted in Uncategorized by lfancey on the March 12th, 2008
Here is what is in the new Test Center 3 build.

Lot Categories: EA Store lot now has its own symbol.
Free Accounts: Free accounts no longer count toward vistor hours.
Graphics: More improvements to DirectX 9 game client.
User Interface: Updated some splash screen and game buttons to use EA-Land.
Character Creation: Occasional crash during avatar creation fixed.
Custom Content: The volume of custom content is climbing which is very exciting so we have updated the way we approve your uploaded content. Please allow at least 24 hours for approval.
Cheers,

MaxisLee

That should ruffe a few feathers

 

[Mystic Kitty]

Agreed, many shops use free accounts to stay in the top. So now the other shops will have a much better chance to get up there. Maybe we can finally get a new # 1 shop in there! lol

 

[donnallg]

I like being on the list but I wish they would change it to the open lots so that you have your choice which to go to and not have to depend on if they were on the map or not.

LOL I was in the 40's at one time. Now I'm in the 50's. I still get alot of business. It might be the same 5 ppl but hey we have to start somewhere.....lol

 

[PB Three]

Heck, I run a store, and I'm very pleased with this change; even if it does effect not only alt sims, but also newbies on free accounts. Oh well. I like helping anyhow.

EDIT @ Donnallg: Yah, the open lots list is a far better idea than so-called 'popular' lots.

PB Three

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

I agree this change was needed. Not that the top 10 will change all that much. The stores that want to remain in that top 10 will now be "paying to suscribe" for their visitors. Works for me.

 

[donnallg]

I wonder if it would be possible for them to Randomize the list and take the numbers and hours off of it.

So that everytime you look at the list there is a different open house in the 1st position.

 

[imported_remflyer]

<blockquote><hr>

I wonder if it would be possible for them to Randomize the list and take the numbers and hours off of it.

So that everytime you look at the list there is a different open house in the 1st position.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is what I would like also. Being able to see all open stores would be a plus for shoppers. Please get rid of this fake popularity list for stores. It just doesn't work!

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

If you randomize one list then they all need to be randomized. All categories.

 

[donnallg]

I see no proplem with that, especially if the list was changed to open lots anyways. No matter what the catergory is, it would give everyone a chance at getting vistors.

 

[imported_remflyer]

<blockquote><hr>

If you randomize one list then they all need to be randomized. All categories.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why?

 

[rookie]

Now they need to take away hide and we might actually get some non-afk stores. But at least this is a step in the right direction.

Rookie

 

[HoTDeViL]

somehow i agree to this change too, specially if i think about the top stores with 300+ hours but in another case i dont do. edit* talking about ea-land

so i understand this right, if i get new players in my store and spend my time to explain them how the game works (what i did regulary in the past time) and what they can do and cant do, and try to tell them to get a premium member (got already 5 to sign up for premium) to enjoy all the fun in game.
I also built an own room, where free players can skill with me and expanded my kitchen. were teaching them the basics because most didnt even know how to talk in roomchat. they arent all rude, they just dont know how to talk
all this time i spend with them will not count for my store anymore?
I think its time then to go afk too and just come back to click i am back and restock my items.

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

If you randomize one list then they all need to be randomized. All categories.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because you are suggesting that the top 100 list competition be taken away from the store category, it is only fair that it be taken away for all categories.

 

[Guest]

Why not? I think they should be randomized or possibly list according to longest open, if the house closes and reopens it's back at bottom of list. Randomized would be preferable but either way would be much more fair than the way it is now.

Consider this, there are way more than 100 properties of any of the different categories already.... and the two biggest cities aren't merged yet. The list should not be limited to 100, and it should show all open.

 

[Guest]

It's necessary, but I can see unnecessary discrimination coming from busy houses kicking out free accounts, in that relentless push-regardless-of-the-cost towards the top.

Surely removing "hide and seek" or putting a timeout of 15 minutes on it would have been less harmful?

After all, free accounts aren't necessarily contributing nothing to the game overall.

 

[Guest]

If they revamp how the list works, then the visitor hours wouldn't matter and there would be no need to feel you have to boot out free accounts.

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

<blockquote><hr>

It's necessary, but I can see unnecessary discrimination coming from busy houses kicking out free accounts, in that relentless push-regardless-of-the-cost towards the top.

Surely removing "hide and seek" or putting a timeout of 15 minutes on it would have been less harmful?

After all, free accounts aren't necessarily contributing nothing to the game overall.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ,

I have yet to see any properties other than money or skill houses so busy they would be concerned one or another if guests were free or not. Since free accounts are not allowed in skill or money lots, I don't see this as an issue right now.

Anyone running a "Welcome Lot" or "Residence Lot" should expect to see free players as they have little place else to go. I doubt stores will want to boot free accounts because they can still make purchases with money they have obtained from and ATM machine. Perhpas there will be some service lots that wish to boot or ban free accounts, but I have yet to see a service lot full of 30 guests either.

 

[donnallg]

To solve the whole free account issues with stores hours and such this is the right thing to do.

But for the ones that are not abusing this it sucks when we do spend alot of time explaining the game to them.

IMO I think Free players should have not been allowed in EA Land. I like helping people in game but with the mass amount of free players coming in it's beginning to be stressful.

 

[Guest]

Just jumping in here, I do not use the top 100 list to decide where to go, I use map view and click on a category to see which houses are open. If your lot appears on that map view, then there is a chance I will visit you. If you have a catchy name, and your description shows me what you have, and it's something I want, then I go to your place. So I read the House descriptions before I enter, saves me time traveling. No #1 lot is gonna have everything you seek, running at the levels you want.

 

[imported_remflyer]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

If you randomize one list then they all need to be randomized. All categories.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because you are suggesting that the top 100 list competition be taken away from the store category, it is only fair that it be taken away for all categories.

[/ QUOTE ]
Let me make it clear. I think the fake popularity list should be done away with in all categories. Let the lists show who is open! Stores however is the category which needs it most IMHO. Use the store category for testing. I'm open for suggestions on a way we can fairly evaluate all categories.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

It's necessary, but I can see unnecessary discrimination coming from busy houses kicking out free accounts, in that relentless push-regardless-of-the-cost towards the top.

Surely removing "hide and seek" or putting a timeout of 15 minutes on it would have been less harmful?

After all, free accounts aren't necessarily contributing nothing to the game overall.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, this is what I said too, especially since the majority of players in TC3 are on free accounts, so I don't see where many houses will get hours at all, given the high probability of the majority of visitors on a lot if not 100% of the visitors on a lot, being free players. Owners/roomies are then gonna start getting upset when other lots have more hours not because they have more visitors, but because they have more *premium* visitors since that's totally out of the owner/roomie's hands whereas attracting visitors IN GENERAL is not. I don't think this was thought all the way through, and I am *hoping* that this will be another change that is only temporary for TC3 and permanent for EA Land, and that once that version is debugged and goes to EAL, free player hours can start counting in TC3 again.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

It's necessary, but I can see unnecessary discrimination coming from busy houses kicking out free accounts, in that relentless push-regardless-of-the-cost towards the top.

Surely removing "hide and seek" or putting a timeout of 15 minutes on it would have been less harmful?

After all, free accounts aren't necessarily contributing nothing to the game overall.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ,

I have yet to see any properties other than money or skill houses so busy they would be concerned one or another if guests were free or not. Since free accounts are not allowed in skill or money lots, I don't see this as an issue right now.

[/ QUOTE ]

You keep saying this, but free accounts ARE allowed in skill/money lots in TC3, so if this change stays permanent there, then AJ is absolutely right that the potential exists in skills and money lots for free players to be discriminated against. As you yourself pointed out, they are the two most popular categories, and where the competition is the 'stiffest'. If the change in TC3 will go back to *normal* after this version goes to EAL, then that's fine, but I missed where it said that anything but the free account lockout was a temporary change.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Now they need to take away hide and we might actually get some non-afk stores. But at least this is a step in the right direction.

Rookie

[/ QUOTE ]

I been out shopping alot lately trying to test out a bug, in my travels I've found surprisingly few AFK stores.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Now they need to take away hide and we might actually get some non-afk stores. But at least this is a step in the right direction.

Rookie

[/ QUOTE ]

I been out shopping alot lately trying to test out a bug, in my travels I've found surprisingly few AFK stores.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, it seems that there are not many exploiters, but that those who are doing it are not messing around with it.....they are REALLY exploiting LOL, making it seem like there's more stores doing it and that the problem is bigger than what it really is.

 

[Rennay]

I like the Hide option, makes it easier for when you're building your house and things. I also like AFK stores verses the store I want to go to be offline. But it would be nice to not see stores getting to the top of the list by a bunch of AFK, free accounts. I like the "Online List" best

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Yeah, it seems that there are not many exploiters, but that those who are doing it are not messing around with it.....they are REALLY exploiting LOL, making it seem like there's more stores doing it and that the problem is bigger than what it really is.

[/ QUOTE ]Usually the same though, those that cheat "a little" get caught, but the big time cheaters seem to get away with it.

One quote here for Donovan... are you ready?

"Second Life's free accounts are also used to boost visitor hours - and as yet, they haven't done what EA are doing, removing that ability".

 

[Guest]

In looking at what is going on in TC3 at the moment, in regards to free accounts not being able to access money and skill lots. I noticed that in TC3 the back door entry bug that EAL has been experiencing which allowed free accounts into those lots was fixed. So I then went to EAL to see if it was still there and I am pleased to say that bug has been fixed.
Just thought I would add that in here as it's something else the devs have done to prevent some cheating.
And now to give credit when and where it's due, well done guys.
If someone lends me their pom poms I'll even give them a bit of wave.
But don't ask me to shake my toosh in one of those little mini skirts, I don't have the legs for it.

 

[Guest]

I mainly do that too. Since EA Land has been open, I have had my house as high as 5 on the list. It did not offer constant view in the map view. I am not on the list at all now, since free members have been allowed in. I am still in map view sometimes. This is the reason I choose map view over the top 100 list. If I do not find what I want that way. I will check out the top list and visit the properties I did not visit yet.

idk care if a sim is a free member or not. I only boot ppl for being rude to me. LOL They can fight amongst themselves all they want.

 

[Guest]

There is not really much a non afk store can do at this point. Other than entertain noobs. They can not compete yet, the catalog prices are way above the cost of the merged and moved objects. I don't care if anyone is there. When we can compete again, ppl will flock to non afk stores. However, I do not see this happening any time soon. With AV and BF still to come.

 

[Guest]

None of the stores on the list atm got there without using multiple accts. That is the only way to get that many hours in a store.

 

[Guest]

I like the idea of an online list too. The hide feature with a 15 min timer would be awesome. Then the afkers would die on the lot. If we were not allowed to host a house as a ghost, this would be even better. Then they would be forced to close. I remember back in JP before the hide feature. LOL they would leave their sims skilling and put a drain at their feet. That way when the sim stood it would pee in the drain. If you go back close to maint you would see ghosts on the lots.

 

[Guest]

LOL good to hear. I will have to check that out later with my lil exploiter.

 

[SethGalloway]

I do agree that this will help in categories such as a mall category. Where this will hurt is the welcome categories because most new players start as free accounts and visit the welcome houses to learn the game. Therefore, the welcome categories aren't getting any visitor hours because most of their guest will be free accounts.

 

[Guest]

In that case none of the houses in that category would be receiving the hours. They only compete in their own category.