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Funcom blunder: GM Gives ARCH a FREE TIER 3 CITY?!?!
Krawnik
Member Posts: 27
For those of you who missed the original story, you can get the ORIGINAL CONFESSION HERE. Basically, this post details the beginnings of what turned into a scandalous pile of bull$hit.
Here's a summary of events:
1. Guild leader leaves a guild hanging in limbo, leaving a member "in charge".
2. That member petitions GM to get full Guild Leader privledges so that he can employ others to help him rebuild the guild. The GM does it.
3. After getting promoted to Guild Leader by a GM, that member promoted another member to Guild Leader to help him rebuild the guild.
4. THAT member disbands the entire guild, causing the Guild City (*** Complete through Tier 3 Keep, nothing more ***), Battlekeep, and any other shred of evidence to their existence go POOF!
5. Suddenly the original slacka$$ Guild Leader returns, crying to Funcom.
6. Funcom reimburses the guild, GIVING them a FULL TIER 3 CITY. Yes, that's right - full Tier 3. Anyone who has been working on their city knows how much time and effort goes into progressing on their city. To be rewarded for epic mistakes, especially to this degree, completely undermines any semblance of integrity regarding Funcom.
At current market values on Dagoth - full completion of Tier 3 is worth approximately 20,000 - 25,000 gold. I'm thinking that's quite a major over compensation. If you actually let ARCH keep a FULL Tier 3 city that they did not earn - you are indeed a larger epic failure than they could ever dream of being. Grats!
Morale of the story...
Want a full Tier 3 city? Want to save 1000's of hours gathering or 1000's of gold? Disband your guild, make up stories and tell lots of lies to cover your butt, then cry to Funcom - they'll give you the hookup.
However, point out a legitimate bug in the game and try to work with the GMs to help fix the bug and improve the game and what you'll get is "it's a known issue", "please e-mail support@ageofconan.com", "there's nothing we can do at this time", or "go suck an egg, we only hook up the hax"
Ya, disgusted, no doubt.
For more background info, the following links are provided:
Comments
Holly Crap Batman! Unbelieveble stupidity of behalf of Funcom.............yet somehow I am not surprised in the very least of their stupidity! Glad I left that game in the first month never to return..............
Its worse to actually think about doing something then actually doing it!!!
The blame still rests on FunCom for not providing the proper System Logs, GM tools and having qualified, well trained GMs.' Social Engineering' is always the first route taken by Exploiters and Cheaters.
People always seem to forget this is not FunCom's first MMO, during the past 7 years every type of shenanigans had been perpetrated in Anarchy Online, all of these major flaws should had the 'holes' closed (and for the most part were in AO, it is all previously covered ground).
This is all just another example of how incredibly incomplete Age of Conan's game system is.
It's not the game system that caused this - it was not caused by a bug. What's severely lacking is any semblance of competence on behalf of the game administrators.
Krawnik
Nothing like starting off with a T3 keep and getting the rest of the buildings T3 for free.
The GM's are idiots and customer service is even worse.
I think they should just hand out T3 cities to everyone if they give one out for free.
Failcom strikes again
I disagree, but only in part. Yes funcom is incompetent... but not for restoring the city. For not having the logs in place to track what really happened and having to go on the word of players.
Thats their incompetence. If its true they dont log this kind of thing it opens them to a word of hurt....
I detest wow, but that is one thing wow did right, they logged EVERYTHING all your tells, chats, guilds, etc. Makes for some great CYA (Cover your ass) when a customer claims X happens, and then you drop the logs on them showing what really happened.
Yup, some of us have been saying this since the first month, when we tried to petition and waited for 5 hours just to get our petition closed when it was our turn. Worst...customer service....ever.
Funny story btw.
I was once left in charge of a guild in Guild Wars in much the same fashion as the OP - ie: guild leader stopped turning up after talking me into the position. (not that I'm thinking this was malicious I would add).
The frustrating thing was that to get full leadership permissions I had to wait 2 months to make sure he had no intention of coming back. About the only control I had was the ability to appoint officers - but without being able to get rid of them again once they were there if they weren't the best people for the job.
Attracting and keeping new members was impossible
as soon as they saw the leader hadn't been in for a month they apologised and left again.
In the end there were just 2 regulars left, and with about 2 weeks still to go we called it a day.
This was incredibly frustrating at the time so I do sympathise with you.
I never thought I would say so, but I think a similar arrangement (cooling off period if you like) might have been helpful in this case - although 2 months was way too long!
It sounds as though Funcom were a little too free with trying to give everyone what they were asking for, without seeing the consequences.
So how bout the truth of things aye?? Your pissed off because an opposing guild on your server got a full t3 city ahead of your guild which is still in the process of building your t3 city?? Oh and no GM promoted Tharcian or Eve to Guild leader. And show us a link or something proving they actually got this t3 city anyways...... Why not be happy you have a competing guild that might provide a challenge to yours aye?
There are posts on their realm forum where that guild is selling crafted tier 3 gear... that nobody else can make.
Screw unfair challenge. Do you want to "compete" against me if i cheat and hack? How about being happy and welcome some challenge? Didn't think so.
So how bout the truth of things aye?? Your pissed off because an opposing guild on your server got a full t3 city ahead of your guild which is still in the process of building your t3 city?? Oh and no GM promoted Tharcian or Eve to Guild leader. And show us a link or something proving they actually got this t3 city anyways...... Why not be happy you have a competing guild that might provide a challenge to yours aye?
No, we are not pissed because a Guild got a T3 city ahead of our guild. If they had EARNED it, we'd be congratulating them instead of discrediting them. We are pissed because they got it for free, with zero effort beyond a major F*** up on their part. We are all for competition, from competitors. ARCH is not a competitor, it is a guild that F***ed up HARD and got rewarded for it by a Funcom GM who F***ed up even harder. These actions undermine not only the work put in by our guild, but of all guilds across all servers who have been busting a$$ to LEGITIMATELY EARN their T3 city.
As for a GM not promoting Tharcian to GL, can you read? For real, can you? Try clicking the links to the articles provided - it's all there in black and white, confessed by ARCH, that a GM did in fact break Funcom's policy and promoted Tharcian to Guild Leader.
As for proof that they got a T3 city for free, HERE'S A LINK to a screenshot of Judge (original GL of ARCH) chatting with the Co-Leader of Ascendant. There will be more screenshots of the city itself incoming soon.
The bottom line here is that Funcom made a huge mistake. Their effort to correct that mistake was an even bigger mistake that is in every way, shape, and form a huge slap in the face of anyone who has been progressing through the game legitimately. At most, Funcom should've rebuilt the city to the point it was at when this entire fiasco began. If they don't undo this action promptly, they sacrifice any shred of integrity they were grasping to hold onto.
Krawnik
Holy Shit
Funcom keeps out pulling the proverbial shit formed rabbit out of the hat don't they.
I think funcom has seriously become THE most piss poor excuse for an MMO company I have ever seen one. I used to think Sigil was the worse. I think Funcom just may have surpassed them.
That former GL sounded like a real douchebag. At least he owned up to his mistakes. Ill give him that one.
But the GMs took his word for it and gave them a god city? Holy shit. That's popcorn munchie news right. Unfreaking believable. And I used to like Funcom with AO. Wow....just wow
I dont know whats more crazier? I gay cybering Game Master, an uninformed about PvP gamemaster, or a stupid Gamemaster taking someones word and giving them a full tier 3 city.
Where the hell do they get these GMs from? An asylum?
People who have to create conspiracy and hate threads to further a cause lacks in intellectual comprehension of diversity.
This is a perfect example of the kind of fucked up people that post here.
You guys bitch that they didn't help a guy that got scammed out of the keep.
(Also the guy the GMs promoted was going to get promoted anyway through his guild so that really is besides the point.)
Funcom knew this, the OP knew this + lied, and the community was in the dark while bitching at Funcom as usual.
Now that they restored the keep to save face from the consumer base you are now bitching about it?
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
The GMs were not exploited nor fooled in anyway. The only fooled ones here were the guild ARCH itself. Yea, sure they are lucky for getting support but you guys are the ones that blew it up.
No, I don't play AoC; I am just pointing the obvious out. I have also had more posts moderated here than the official Funcom forums. People like the OP are hypocrites.
Time out.
When, where, and how did I lie? I am not Judge. I am not Tharcian. I am not Eveleral. I never was and never will be in ARCH. This began as an attack on a potential recruit on our guild's forums because that potential recruit was from an allied guild. I am simply presenting the story as it unfolded and has been presented to us.
ARCH failed because their guild leader (Judge) went inactive and left someone (Tharcian) "in charge" that shouldn't of been.
Tharcian failed because he conned a GM into giving him full GL privledges. (I suppose this could be viewed as a success by the scandalous types reading this)
Funcom failed because their GM granted those privledges.
Tharcian failed again by promoting a shady member (Eveleral) to the GL spot to "help him".
Eveleral failed by disbanding the entire guild and negating all their innocent member's hard work building a city up to the Tier 3 keep.
Funcom failed again by undermining all the legit players in AoC by rewarding ARCH for the errors made along the way, rather than just reimbursing what they already had.
I'm pretty sure that any guild that has progressed legitimately in AoC has got to be thinking "Damn that's F***ed up!" A full Tier 3 city is the pretty much the ultimate achievement in AoC atm. To be handed something of that caliber for free is just out of line. There's no doubt that Funcom should've reimbursed their city (reimbursed = give back what they already had) because of the mistake that their GM made, but to go THAT far above and beyond is a total slap in the face to anyone who has actually put in the effort to accomplish it legitimately.
Bottom line - Funcom F***ed up hard.
Krawnik
When, where, and how did I lie? I am not Judge. I am not Tharcian. I am not Eveleral. I never was and never will be in ARCH. This began as an attack on a potential recruit on our guild's forums because that potential recruit was from an allied guild. I am simply presenting the story as it unfolded and has been presented to us.
As it unfolded? Are you guys really that slow?
ARCH failed because their guild leader (Judge) went inactive and left someone (Tharcian) "in charge" that shouldn't of been.
Tharcian failed because he conned a GM into giving him full GL privledges. (I suppose this could be viewed as a success by the scandalous types reading this)
Funcom failed because their GM granted those privledges.
Tharcian was going to get guild leader anyway.
Tharcian failed again by promoting a shady member (Eveleral) to the GL spot to "help him".
Guild's fault...
Eveleral failed by disbanding the entire guild and negating all their innocent member's hard work building a city up to the Tier 3 keep.
Sure....
Funcom failed again by undermining all the legit players in AoC by rewarding ARCH for the errors made along the way, rather than just reimbursing what they already had.
Oh, snap isn't this where THIS entire community started raising hell? STFU. You might as well slap yourself.
I'm pretty sure that any guild that has progressed legitimately in AoC has got to be thinking "Damn that's F***ed up!" A full Tier 3 city is the pretty much the ultimate achievement in AoC atm. To be handed something of that caliber for free is just out of line. There's no doubt that Funcom should've reimbursed their city (reimbursed = give back what they already had) because of the mistake that their GM made, but to go THAT far above and beyond is a total slap in the face to anyone who has actually put in the effort to accomplish it legitimately.
You would of never known the truth and bitched at Funcom regardless. What does it matter? Oh wait, it doesn't. Their guild would of quit in mass and so would others that read the bias story found here. They made the best outcome of a bad situation and you are trying to flame them for that.
Bottom line - Funcom F***ed up hard.
Bottom line, ARCH fucked up hard. You fucked up also for trying to make this flame, not everyone buys your garbage.
Why do you feel the need to use constant profanity and rudeness in your post ?
I'll tell you a little secret " it doesn't make you seem more insightful or correct in your view "
It just makes your view seem hysterical and really irrelevant to this topic
When you leave mmorpg.com no need to say goodbye ..you won't be missed
I found the OP's post interesting and entertaining
"after the time of dice came the day of mice "
There are posts on their realm forum where that guild is selling crafted tier 3 gear... that nobody else can make.
Screw unfair challenge. Do you want to "compete" against me if i cheat and hack? How about being happy and welcome some challenge? Didn't think so.
ACtually, I would love to have a siege against those guys. And FC should have a chat with the GM, and for that matter close the lying morons account. But GMs are working for free, they just do it for free monthly play and the guy was just being nice (if not smart, he should have checked the story up), mail the story to Funcom instead of whine here.
But we once again see that GM should be employes, not players.
There are posts on their realm forum where that guild is selling crafted tier 3 gear... that nobody else can make.
Screw unfair challenge. Do you want to "compete" against me if i cheat and hack? How about being happy and welcome some challenge? Didn't think so.
ACtually, I would love to have a siege against those guys. And FC should have a chat with the GM, and for that matter close the lying morons account. But GMs are working for free, they just do it for free monthly play and the guy was just being nice (if not smart, he should have checked the story up), mail the story to Funcom instead of whine here.
But we once again see that GM should be employes, not players.
Funcom knows, Famine knows, nothing has been done.
If they didn't reimburse the city, all of the guild members would have probably quit. That would have driven the population numbers down more than they already are. This was a decision to retain the customers they have left, nothing more. There is no consideration made to right or wrong, its just business.
Waiting for: A skill-based MMO with Freedom and Consequence.
Woe to thee, the pierce-ed.
So how bout the truth of things aye?? Your pissed off because an opposing guild on your server got a full t3 city ahead of your guild which is still in the process of building your t3 city?? Oh and no GM promoted Tharcian or Eve to Guild leader. And show us a link or something proving they actually got this t3 city anyways...... Why not be happy you have a competing guild that might provide a challenge to yours aye?
You obviously have no problem with cheating then.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
Yeah out of all the responses I see two of you fools trying to make the op seem like he is either wrong for objecting or atleast wrong for saying so I counted atleast 22 responses and two negative ones, I respect your right to your own opinion but you should try doing that yourself to the op and the other 20 or so people who posted and agreed with him you disagree awesome for you but please atleast make the argument on a forum you can actually win on.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
This is a perfect example of the kind of fucked up people that post here.
You guys bitch that they didn't help a guy that got scammed out of the keep. (which was proven... no fucking shit... figured I should say this in case anyone questioned...also the guy the GMs promoted was going to get promoted anyway through his guild so that really is besides the point.)
Funcom knew this, the OP knew this + lied, and the community was in the dark while bitching at Funcom as usual.
Now that they restored the keep to save face from the consumer base you are now bitching about it?
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
The GMs were not exploited nor fooled in anyway. The only fooled ones here were the guild ARCH itself. Yea, sure they are lucky for getting support but you guys are the ones that blew it up.
No, I don't play AoC; I am just pointing the obvious out. I have also had more posts moderated here than the official Funcom forums.
Yea, I am done with these forums. Everytime I read them my IQ plummets from all the bias information. Bolded words for retards that can't read. I am surprised Funcom even respected this site enough to let them get an interview.
I might also like to add this is coming from a valued community memeber that joined a week ago and has 19 posts you may not even be remembered let alone missed.
but yeah, to call this game Fantastic is like calling Twilight the Godfather of vampire movies....
when I see a game rated "M" im not only thinkging about gore and adult language. I'm also thinking about content and systems that might require you to think and act like a mature adult.
If your the guild leader and want to leave then you're responsible for picking someone to succeed you. don't be pissed off and beg a GM to help you when you disserted your guild and the remaining players decided to do their own thing resulting in your hardwork vanishing.
How bogus!
I love how any mention of this little fiasco results in threads closing and posts disappearing over on the official forums. So wonderful to see ARCH selling weapons and armor nobody else can make and profitting off that as well. Funcom is such a joke.
Have been reading up on the links provided. Also seen the tread where Famine has posted that he is looking into it.
I fail to see anything else than a GM giving leadership to a person and therefore restoring the guild and guild city. The screenshot provided is by a player whispering that a GM have restored t3 city to make up for it. It is easy to do another one where I whisper a friend telling them a GM gave me godlike powers since assassins are underpowered. It does not make it any more true.
So the story is really about some guild drama and a GM giving leadership to wrong person. Then it all sorted out in the end. No biggie.
Not surprising at all
This really was a "damned if we do, damned if we don't" situation for Funcom.
First, everyone knows that an absent guild leader can effectively put a stranglehold on the guild, how it is managed, potential for recruitment and allocation of resources. Rather than ignoring the situation (which has occurred in many MMOs) Funcom recognized it and tried to address the issue.
The next thing you know, Funcom is being directly blamed for the actions of the acting GL, both here and on the AoC forums.
So in an effort to salvage the situation, they restore the assets that were supposedly destroyed by the promoted guild member in question.
So you have posters/players attacking Funcom for supposedly promoting someone to GL and that individual effectively erasing the guild (which, as it turns out, wasn't accurate, as the individual who actually erased the guild was promoted by the new GL).
Then you have posters/players attacking Funcom for trying to fix the situation they supposedly botched.
At some point in this whole legacy of stupidity, you have the former guild leader who basically abandoned the guild whining to Funcom as well.
Funcom's single failure in this situation was not elevating the guild assets issue to an audit level (if they have one) that would show exactly what assets the guild in question actually had before it was dissolved.
They basically had two options at the outset of this whole debacle.
1. Establish that the existing GL had been absent from the guild for a sufficient amount of time to warrant promoting an officer to GL in an effort to ensure that the guild continues to function properly.
or
2. Tell the petitioning guild officer left holding the bag "too bad, so sad", effectively stagnating the guild and/or causing it to fall apart.
All the way around, the central issue was a complete lack of personal responsibility from the former GL and the acting GL, and the apparent duplicity of the guild member who was promoted and then sold the farm.
In my opinion, Funcom went out of their way to rectify the situation and is STILL getting the lion's share of the blame.
The whole thing basically revolved around a guild whose GL and officers wanted to throw around the blame stick, when one of them should have manned up and held onto it.
The most accurate thing you identified throughout all of the posts you linked, Krawnik, was that ARCH was riddled with a lack of leadership and personal responsibility.
But instead of just restating that very obvious fact here, you hop aboard the blame wagon and come here to whine about Funcom.
Let's see:
1. If it's a known issue, then it's a known issue. Not much else to be said there. Obviously if they had a solution, they would have told you or applied the solution.
2. "Email support"; that would be my answer too, because I'll be damned if after this entire mess that began with the best intentions on the part of the initial GM, I'm going to become the brunt of another wave of Funcom-bashing by trying to take the initiative to fix the situation.
3. "There's nothing we can do at this time"; yup, considering that the GMs in question probably thought they were taking the correct action that started this whole mess, I wouldn't do one damn thing until the CEO of Funcom himself walked up to me and gave me a direct order in writing.
Because God forbid that I make a mistake that causes even the slightest discomfort for my PERFECT player community.
Every one of those replies (minus your obviously sarcastic characterization) were politic and neutral. There is nothing wrong with that when you are dealing with a situation that is not yet been fully resolved.
AoC has its fair share of problems and normally when the community and those here at MMORPG.com get irate or are overly critical of the game, I could care less. I enjoy the game, sometimes more, sometimes less.
When this situation first emerged, I ignored it because it just smacked of deception from the get-go.
But I just can't understand why, after you went through this whole ordeal where everyone began blaming Funcom for a guild ceasing to exist, only to find out that those involved were lying through their teeth (and most likely are still omitting information) you would come back here and yet again bash Funcom for trying to address the situation they supposedly botched to begin with?
Abbatoir / Abbatoir Cinq
Adnihilo
Beorn Judge's Edge
Somnulus
Perfect Black
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Asheron's Call / Asheron's Call 2
Everquest / Everquest 2
Anarchy Online
Shadowbane
Dark Age of Camelot
Star Wars Galaxies
Matrix Online
World of Warcraft
Guild Wars
City of Heroes