[gameover]

Just in case anyone's keeping up with Medievia's latest change to force players to vote, here's a direct threat from the owner of the MUD:

[Mon Dec 12 06:10] Vryce(148):: if we dont STAY in the top 5 on that vote list I will shut down medievia

I've been playing Medievia for 6 years, and will never play it again after Vryce and Soleil broke TMS rules, and pushed yet another threat down his players' throats.

[Jeena]

Complainers, whiners, moaners, and groaners are always the ones who are most vocal but are not in the majority. I talk to people nearly every day who are pleased and excited about the new and amazing innovations that are going on in medievia almost weekly.  
Serpents, ships, terraforming, and other new features make this game a growing, evolving vibrant place, and despite the few vocal naysayers, it is in fact an wonderful world to be a part of.
But here's the other thing to keep clearly in mind. Change is hard for some people. There are people out there who prefer to know something inside and out, they want no challenge, they want all things predictable. You can't use Gamerevolution to win this game. Med is not that place.
Today on Med will not be the same as tomorrow on Med. Something you try now, mayl be harder or easier tomorrow.
Some people can't handle that. But if you want a challenge, if you really want to feel good about what you've accomplished, Med is the place for you. If you want easy and predictable, I recommend Tetris.
In order to compete with muds that have FAR FAR FEWER players, Medievia must employ the same tactics that they are allowed to use. This is only fair.

[gameover]

Their change is illegal. Read the rules of this website.

If they "have to" resort to cheating to get people to play the game, chances are there's either a problem with their content (unlikely, since the depth of gameplay is amazing), or with their management.

I'd say management has been slowly killing the game for years. Luckily, this will probably give it the shot it needs to put it out of its misery.

[Soleil]

As I see it, no rules were broken.  We've just researched what the other top muds do to help get their players to vote and have adopted a similar strategy that the usual #1 MUD (Aardwolf) uses.  If Medievia is at fault, then they are too. (I know, sounds soooo petty...)

Mr. Gameover, I'm sorry you are disappointed by our actions today, but I'm probably about 99% sure that you are not leaving Medievia because of this issue here on TMS.   If you are, then so be it.  However, I urge you to leave Medievia if you don't like it there.  Go find another game that suits your needs better.  After all, games are for entertainment, right?  You SHOULD leave a game that is no longer fun for you.  Since playing a game like a MUD takes a lot of time, that time should be spent somewhere you have fun.  It's always a shame to lose a player, but we don't want to keep players around who don't enjoy their experience.  I wish you the best at your new MUD home and hope that you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed your time on Medievia.  Good Luck finding that game!

[the_logos]

I can't say I'm happy about it, but they do have a point in that Aardwolf seems to have the same system and nobody is complaining about them (although I am about to, privately, to Synozeer).

--matt

[gameover]

Aardwolf's reminder is OPTIONAL, which is the key here. Medievia hinders gameplay by breaking people's prompts, and then threatens them if they use a script to turn it off. Aardwolf offers the option of having a reminder, and the ability to easily turn it off.

[Soleil]

Originally Posted by I can't say I'm happy about it, but they do have a point in that Aardwolf seems to have the same system and nobody is complaining about them.

Of course no one is complaining, they aren't Medievia   If anyone had a problem with Aardwolf's system and it was brought out here as ILLEGAL, I highly doubt we would have adopted it.  We have been doing everything as we should around here, although it is VERY easy to offer rewards for voting, we haven't.  We do THIS and right away the Medievia Spies are on top of us and shouting from the rooftops about our SCAM.  Well, the 'scam' has been around for awhile folks, and Medievia didn't start it.

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by (gameover @ Dec. 12 2005,15:52) Aardwolf's reminder is OPTIONAL, which is the key here. Medievia hinders gameplay by breaking people's prompts, and then threatens them if they use a script to turn it off. Aardwolf offers the option of having a reminder, and the ability to easily turn it off.

Well, first, I have no problem with either system. Don't play the MUD if it bothers you that much. Having said that, however, here is what the rules say:

"You cannot display different messages based on whether someone voted or not, or reward a player for voting by not showing messages."

It doesn't distinguish between systems that are opt-out and systems that aren't. You can argue about one being more intrusive, and you'd be correct, but the rules don't take that into account.

I would certainly back a change that allowed for players to opt-in to that kind of prompt notification system, but the rules currently don't permit it as far as I can tell.

--matt

[Jeena]

I second Soleil's post. It is obvious that "Gameover" has not been happy in Med for sometime and is now taking his/her parting dig at the game.
This does not negate some basic truths about Medievia....

The Challenge
The Companionship
The Fun
The Evolution
The Variety

Sadly, too many people aren't aware of the wonders of Medievia, by employing the same tactics used by other Muds on TMS Medievia is leveling the playing field with the competition and helping to make more people aware of the possibilities.

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by (Jeena @ Dec. 12 2005,15:57) I second Soleil's post. It is obvious that "Gameover" has not been happy in Med for sometime and is now taking his/her parting dig at the game. This does not negate some basic truths about Medievia.... The Challenge The Companionship The Fun The Evolution The Variety Sadly, too many people aren't aware of the wonders of Medievia, by employing the same tactics used by other Muds on TMS Medievia is leveling the playing field with the competition and helping to make more people aware of the possibilities.

Whether he's upset with Medievia or not is immaterial as to whether Medievia is breaking the rules or not. Whether Medievia is a great game or a bad game is irrelevant to the voting rules.

--matt

[gameover]

Originally Posted by (Jeena @ Dec. 12 2005,15:57) It is obvious that "Gameover" has not been happy in Med for sometime and is now taking his/her parting dig at the game.

Now, if only I could have the significant sum of money that I've spent on the game refunded!

Live and learn...

By the way, you're a great mouthpiece for the game, and so able to ignore anything but happily-spun propaganda. Soleil should pay you, if she isn't already.

[gameover]

Originally Posted by (Jeena @ Dec. 12 2005,15:57) It is obvious that "Gameover" has not been happy in Med for sometime and is now taking his/her parting dig at the game.

Now, if only I could have the significant sum of money that I've spent on the game refunded!

Live and learn...

By the way, you're a great mouthpiece for the game, and so able to ignore anything but happily-spun propaganda. Soleil should pay you, if she isn't already.

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by (Soleil @ Dec. 12 2005,15:54) Originally Posted by I can't say I'm happy about it, but they do have a point in that Aardwolf seems to have the same system and nobody is complaining about them. Of course no one is complaining, they aren't Medievia If anyone had a problem with Aardwolf's system and it was brought out here as ILLEGAL, I highly doubt we would have adopted it. We have been doing everything as we should around here, although it is VERY easy to offer rewards for voting, we haven't. We do THIS and right away the Medievia Spies are on top of us and shouting from the rooftops about our SCAM. Well, the 'scam' has been around for awhile folks, and Medievia didn't start it.

I'm sorry, but this is nonsense Soleil. You know I've defended Medievia in the past, but saying you're going to break a rule because someone else did is crap. If you knew Aardwolf was breaking the rules, why not just shoot an email to webmaster@topmudsites.com to let Adam know? It's worked in the past. Materia Magica got kicked off here after they cheated. A couple other MUDs have too.

I wish you guys would reconsider.
--matt

[Soleil]

Originally Posted by but saying you're going to break a rule because someone else did is crap.

That's really not what I meant.  I just assumed that since Aardwolf's system has been in place for a long time and that they've been the #1 game for just as long, that what they were doing was totally in agreement with the rules.  If not, why wasn't this brought up ages ago?? That is the major reason why we chose to do the same-ish thing.  I didn't know they were breaking the rules at all.  Maybe just my assumption that everyone was aware of what they were doing was incorrect.  

This brings about this question...
Just exactly how far does Synozeer go to prove that games aren't cheating?   Does a representative of this site EVER log into MUDs to make sure they are following the rules?  If so, why didn't Aardwolf's system come out before?  Why now, when Medievia does it, does it come out as illegal?

[the_logos]

Originally Posted by (Soleil @ Dec. 12 2005,16:13) That's really not what I meant. I just assumed that since Aardwolf's system has been in place for a long time and that they've been the #1 game for just as long, that what they were doing was totally in agreement with the rules. If not, why wasn't this brought up ages ago?? That is the major reason why we chose to do the same-ish thing. I didn't know they were breaking the rules at all. Maybe just my assumption that everyone was aware of what they were doing was incorrect. This brings about this question... Just exactly how far does Synozeer go to prove that games aren't cheating? Does a representative of this site EVER log into MUDs to make sure they are following the rules? If so, why didn't Aardwolf's system come out before? Why now, when Medievia does it, does it come out as illegal?

I'd imagine that Synozeer depends 100% on MUDs policing each other. Aardwolf has a lot of players, so we've never seen a reason to investigate their high vote counts, but we do investigate, as thoroughly as we can, any sudden jumps in voting or suspiciously high vote-total to total players ratio.

So I mean, the answer to your question is probably just, "Nobody complained." (Until now.)

Incidentally, I'm proposing to Adam that he consider changing the rule to allow for vote reminding systems that allow players to opt-out if they want. That way Aardwolf could just keep their current system (which seems perfectly fine to me as long as the rules permit it) and you could modify yours to allow players to opt-out of the vote-status-on-prompt.

I think that the reason for the rules is that Adam doesn't wish players to be selectively nagged based on whether they've voted or not. Currently the options are then either to nag everybody or not to nag. If the rule change were permitted, there'd be a third option, "Only 'nag' those who are ok with being 'nagged.'"

--matt

[Jeena]

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Originally Posted by (gameover @ Dec. 12 2005,14[img http://www.topmudsites.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif[/img]3)] Originally Posted by Jeena,Dec. 12 2005,15:57 It is obvious that "Gameover" has not been happy in Med for sometime and is now taking his/her parting dig at the game. Now, if only I could have the significant sum of money that I've spent on the game refunded! Live and learn... By the way, you're a great mouthpiece for the game, and so able to ignore anything but happily-spun propaganda.  Soleil should pay you, if she isn't already.

You think a person has to be paid for stating the obvious? I've played med for almost 7 years. I didn't hang around cause it was a great chat program. I like the game. It's the most innovative game out  there.
I think it's time people who support med are as vocal as the minority who bash it. I mean, for godsakes if it sucks so bad why do people stay and why do they come back? Because frankly it doesn't suck.  It's awesome. But no matter what is going on there's always a few who stand back with nothing better to do than to knock someone down.
So, do I support Medievia. Yes I do. I show my support by playing, by donating, and by doing my best to be as vocal as the naysayers. You complain, I support. See how it works?

[betrayed.by.gods]

You know, I wouldn't even have a problem with the game except for this one paragraph

"Once you vote do a VOTE IVOTED and your prompt will clear until tomorrow. Do not run a script to clear the prompt as the game detects this and marks your history. That is fine but if you ever want our help, or our support in your problems, or to become an avatar or god, you do not want this kind of history."

Sounds like an implied threat to me, and makes me wonder why I'm playing a MUD where the gods can be so callous about the playerbase

[Ilkidarios]

If a vote button comes up after a certain period of time in the client, is that alright?  If it doesn't turn off if you vote, that is. Is that legal in the voting rules system?