Lineage Radio has finally locked in an interview with the elusive
and mighty spam which will be L I V E on air this Wendesday September 6th, 2006 at 11:30 AM CDT (12:30 PM EST for you east coasters and the early morning for you west coasters ;))
The real reason why I am posting this is that I am going to take this weekend to ask YOU guys for questions to ask HGM spam! Any questions you want to ask, you can! We will be asking them LIVE on air and really having an awesome party to celebrate the anticipation of....CHRONICLE 5 :)
I already have been given permission by Mistryl to let you all post questions about those pesky bots.... Although there are stipulations to this which include: NO names of players, NO names of clans and generally NO MUDSLINGING of any kind :)
And I WILL be podcasting this one for you all :) so if you cant listen....It will be available one way or another!
this isnt a question, but fyi elrohir its perma ban no matter what (afaik)
my question: I took a look at what it takes to get some of the a-grade clan armors, is it seriously feasible to get a LOT of people in a clan geared up with that?
It's not. There are warnings, there are temp bans. There are "permanent" bans that are reversed. I want to know how many are permanently banned permanently.
It's not. There are warnings, there are temp bans. There are "permanent" bans that are reversed. I want to know how many are permanently banned permanently.
Oh, I can see that we are off to a good start on this one. :)
1, It has been discussed that there would be more events such as the inter-server PvP comptetion. There were also ideas thrown around about using the Coluseum for events and all of that seems to have died. What has happened?
2, Not to discuss the merits/downsides of server transfers but it was announced in a newsletter a LOOOONG time ago that there would be server transfers. Has NC finally looked at the way each server works and realized that such transfers are not to the benefit of the game as a whole or is there another reason? We know that other games have such transfers and many of the issues (such as transfering items, duplicate names, etc) are dealt with. What has happened and why not come out and inform the community?
3, Many people complain about bots and either feel that NC doesn't care, can't handle them, or that there is some sort of Star Chamber consipiracy that NC wants these types of characters in game and therefore does nothing. Yet, other games do announce mass bannings on a regular basis. I do know that it has been remarked by NC that they do makes these bannings, yet many in the community don't see the evidence (or feel that there is insufficient evidence). What do you think NC can do in order to change the perception and regain the confidence of the community?
4, I asked this of the Developers but will ask it here: many players in the NA community feel that we are the bastard children of Korea. Though it has been remarked that the developers do listen to the NA/Euro community we don't really "get that". Especially since we don't get information about what is happening in the game, future of the game, etc except by very good natured community members who are willing to translate the Korean sites. Why can't we be part of the club too and get the information that Korea gets as Korea gets it? Is it just the cost to translate or are there other factors.? Even if the changes/discussions that happen in Korea are not implemented/taken into account, I'm sure we would like to be part of that.
5,The "noob" experience is supposed to have been enhanced in order to allow new players a better lower lvl experience. However, it seems to me that it is just a way to rush players past lower lvls. This is a shame since a good part of the game's real estate caters to lower lvl players. Now it just seems like one big landscape portrait where players rarely visit. Does NC have any plans to invigorate the lower lvl areas and really invest in the new player?
6,To that I would also add: Why is this game not advertised and why is it so rare to find in stores? It would seem that NC would want to reach as many players as possible and to constantly try to find new players. Yet the L2 advertising has been "ok" at best and seemingly non-existant at worst. Why?
oh... and I love you guys... just felt like asking those questions. :cool:
Where's my C5 swag? No, seriously, where is it? Someone actually offered me an Autoassault T-shirt at GenCon cause you guys had nothing for L2. This really is a serious question since swag is tied in with how serious a company is MARKETING its games. It doesn't seem like NCsoft is serious about marketing Lineage 2 in any respect. Why do I feel like the red-headed step-child of the NCsoft universe?
Where's my C5 swag? No, seriously, where is it? Someone actually offered me an Autoassault T-shirt at GenCon cause you guys had nothing for L2. This really is a serious question since swag is tied in with how serious a company is MARKETING its games. It doesn't seem like NCsoft is serious about marketing Lineage 2 in any respect. Why do I feel like the red-headed step-child of the NCsoft universe?
I couldn't say it any better myself (QFT)
When nc going to step up with marketing in l2, last week I got the last COV time card to play for 2 months and most stores wont carry L2 at all.
As head gm i believe these things are up to your descretion
1. Harsh bannings on names titles and language in game. I believe perma banning people on the occassional use of language or an offensive title is going a little over the top. 7 day bans should be fine for these offensives unless its constant and delebriate like say the first time they are back in game after the ban they are back to same things again.
2. A formal appeal process on all bannings. People like me who were "permantely banned" for a judgement call that was later reversed but not before me and my friends had to send 100's and 100's emails for them to even review my case at a higher gm level, me constantly calling account services and NCSoft corporate offices and going abosultely bezerk. Was not until the top tier gms even got involved that my case was reviewed quickly and constant contact on what was going on with my account. After the top gms were involved i was very statisfied with the service even if my case wasnt reversed it would made me feel at least they really took their time into looking at and would gave me a through explanation.
Too many people are banned and told its unreviewable but arent even really told for exactly what they were banned for just some general stuff.
--What, if any, marketing campaigns are you planning for Lineage2 since pvp is getting rebalanced? (not just booths at conventions)
--Why did it seem that you guys heard about the mid-c5 updates (from Korea) for the first time from us forum trolls?
Everyone keep in mind that I am in charge of customer service for Lineage II. This means that questions about marketing and server structure may not be answered to the fullest extent. I may try on some if I am 100% about the answer, but otherwise I will have to pass on the question or say that it would be better asked of someone else.
Anyway, keep ‘em coming.
Heheh I may be the first broken record to play on Lineage Radio!
Raid boss farmers, it has been discussed many times, yet the same farmers keep doing what they do as they have for months. They completly eliminated raids from the l2 gameplay and are seriously hurting the fun factor in the game. Why isnt NC soft treating this issue as a top priority and allows this to continue for months?
-additional info omited to keep the question short:
We are aware that repeatedly killing bosses is not againstthe EULA, however is visible and evident this people
1) Use 3rd party programs to automate a great number of the people used for the raid
2) Gather this adena for thie purpouse of selling it for real life cash, this should be something NC can track.
We understand its difficult to get all the necesary evidence to ban these people, however it has been over a full chronicle that the SAME people on the SAME alliance has continued to do this on the bartz server, despite several player reports, several posts there has been to our knowledge no action taken by NC soft to stop them in any way.
I would really appreciate if HGM spam could give us a REAL answer to this problem, and perhaps give people some hope that perhaps one day people other than raid boss farmers will be able to raid again.
Raid boss farmers, it has been discussed many times, yet the same farmers keep doing what they do as they have for months. They completly eliminated raids from the l2 gameplay and are seriously hurting the fun factor in the game. Why isnt NC soft treating this issue as a top priority and allows this to continue for months?
-additional info omited to keep the question short:
We are aware that repeatedly killing bosses is not againstthe EULA, however is visible and evident this people
1) Use 3rd party programs to automate a great number of the people used for the raid
2) Gather this adena for thie purpouse of selling it for real life cash, this should be something NC can track.
We understand its difficult to get all the necesary evidence to ban these people, however it has been over a full chronicle that the SAME people on the SAME alliance has continued to do this on the bartz server, despite several player reports, several posts there has been to our knowledge no action taken by NC soft to stop them in any way.
I would really appreciate if HGM spam could give us a REAL answer to this problem, and perhaps give people some hope that perhaps one day people other than raid boss farmers will be able to raid again.
bump, needs to be addressed for most servers.
Are there any plans for a "light" client for shops?
- How many GMs' approval is needed to ban one account, and what ranks?
- A follow up: How can it happen, that an accused user is first given one (vague) reason of why he's banned and after asking for details he is given an entirely different reason?
- Would you consider starting to include some evidence in your "you are banned" emails?
(If you're wondering, I'm not in favour of botters, and I wouldn't complain if I had a friend who got banned if they actually were botting or exploiting or whatever that's against the EULA and damaging to the game).
Another -more light- question:
- Will people be given an opportunity to obtain the Chrono Maracas on Franz? -Or will it be given to them, maybe if you create a toon there within, say, the first week?
EDIT: nevermind ^^ we will get chronos on Der Franz, confirmed by Mistryl in Franz forum :)
1. can you pronounce "Paagrio" and tell us what the difference is in his name between C4 and C5, and any clue why it was changed?
2. what makes a good bot report?
3. what is the logic behind not emailing players what they were banned for, or even that they were banned, the moment it occurs?
4. has NC given any serrious thoughts to enforcing the EULA at the source of the problem (ebayers) or are they content to continue with the current system of: player pettitions about automated players, player gets automated response?
5. L2 figurines (http://boards.lineage2.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=shots&Number=687724&Searc hpage=4&Main=677350&Words=KingdomForCoin&topic=&Se arch=true#Post687724) has the marketing team seen these? would you like to have one on your desk? if so, what character, in what style armor (monsters and NPCs accepted as ansers too ^^)?
The latest trend on my server and probably others is to buy farmer accounts, or to leech in their bot parties (either automated or idle). Do you feel you are equipped to prevent this kind of behaviour in the future as it's just as bad as people botting up characters themselves.
What can the player do to make your job more efficient and easier?
I could ask questions in more detail but I know Spam can't or wont answer them for obvious reasons, so I wont.
saw a patch recently in Korea which increased the Olympiad players needed to start the games from currently 5, to 9 players. Kain server recently had the clan leader(and who just got hero) banned, thus having 40 players quit along side him(20 of them being nobles). This has basicly decreased the noble population on kain by 1/5 and we even have trouble getting 5 players.
Will this patch be put into the servers in the future? (currently seeing for an Australian player like myself there will be about 7 days i can actualyl compete a month, being saturdays for me(friday of siege weekend, which normally we dont get enough) or Saturday(Friday of nonsiege weekend) or Sunday(saturday of non siege weekends).
Any Comment?
Secondly, Just like l2radio, have you ever thought of opening a MIRC/Java chat which would have some GM's during the day time hang out in for people to ask some simple questions that arise with such changes or anything like that? I mean most the posts on boards dont get looked at to be honest, any thoughts
Thirdly, Recently i was lagging during a siege and returned to my clan hall and crashed (now this is obviously your servers fault, it only ever happens in sieges) and i was told that i would NOT be given the 0.5% exp i lost from it, this is a obvious flaw and bug with the system put in place by you guys and i have always been given the exp back, now i am being told i am not, when did this policy go in, why did you guys not tell us and why are u making us pay for the flaws in the game. I paid 1 billion adena for this clan hall and i cant even use it for the one thing i bought it for
With the coming of c5 we get a whole new grind. The grind for becoming a level 8 clan and getting all those nifty goodies.
Now for some clans, this wont be much of a chalenge since they rule the Hero scene. But every clan and their monkey want to reach those heights as well. I expect that the proframers will provide services to help clans level very fast. I also expect that once more we will excell in finding exploits to level very fast.
Are you ready for the new challenges this will bring? Because once an exploit is known, it should be removed asap.
Q2: In the past when clan leaders were banned, regardless of the reason, NCSoft has done nothing for their clanmates who had lost things in the, now inaccessible, clan vault. Also they would not help by transferring clan leadership to another character.
This generally results in many of the clan members also quitting, which, however you look at it, is bad for business, present AND future.
With the available clan leader changes in C5, will NCSoft be willing to swap leaders in a clan when the leader gets banned?
Why is it that some Private Servers have been able to stop [removed] from running on there servers and you cant do the same thing?
that is a VERY good question that seriously needs to be addressed
The answer is simple. There's no money in keeping [removed] updated to work on private servers (since they can make any changes they wish to their servers). There is a huge monetary incentive to keep [removed] up to date to work on official servers.
Yeah, like he says, each private server can be set up differently with different code and content, there's really no incentive for the bot programs to keep up with the free servers.
Not to mention afaik, bots actually do work on most major private servers, regardless of what they try to claim.
ahhh guess we should really settle on another colution for them.
Like how gravity did with Ragnarok online, making all the trial accounts only last for 75 hrs of gameplay. And actively hunting bots. They made bots almost non existant on their servers, and they had a bigger problem with bots than L2 does.
Also, I am wondering, has ncsoft tried to work with ebay to shut down the auctions? I know funcom did this for Anarchy Online, and it seemed to work really well.
I only have 1 question. Why do we no longer have ingame support. Sometime in C3 everything became automated. I know it use to make my day actually talking to a GM when I had a petition. I am sure 90% of your player base would love to talk to a GM instead of getting the same automated response not matter what you put in your petition.
I only have 1 question. Why do we no longer have ingame support. Sometime in C3 everything became automated. I know it use to make my day actually talking to a GM when I had a petition. I am sure 90% of your player base would love to talk to a GM instead of getting the same automated response not matter what you put in your petition.
They are still there. Actually it's real GM's that send out the automated messages.
They sometimes talk, but it's really quite rare these days.
And to the person who asked if they replied to any forum posts, well HGMspam comes here once in a while, but he's the only GM active here on the boards.
I know that HGMspam posts to the forums, but he goes MIA for extended periods of time. (Spam does actually read the forums fairly frequently he just doesn't reply to much.)
I just think it would be fun if each of the HGMs took the time make a post once a week or so. Even if its just a general chit-chat type of post, it would make the forums a bit more interesting.
Is NCSoft ever going to step up the anit-bot campaign? I'm sure you can start doing stuff that is more drastic, like banning ip or mac addresses (mac addresses might be best since ip addies can be dynamic). I also am wondering if you have ever thought about making a deal with ebay to auto close any illegal auctions. I know it is possible becuase I know for a fact Funcom struck a deal with ebay to auto-remove all illegal auctions for Anarchy Online. This would strike a HUGE blow on the bot market, because that is probaboly their biggest selling area.
You know that the bot problem is also the biggest complaint (besides the grind, which is only matters of preferance) on the web about this game right? Heck check out mmorpg.com and see how many people say how bad the bot problem is and recommend people pass up the game because it is basically junk now because of all the bots.
I know it is far from being impossible, I have seen games with WAY worse bot problems clean it up and almost become botless.
Is /gmlist bugged? Since everytime I type this, it say zero GM are on. Are somehow gm responds are getting slower and slower, from usual ~2 hours period to a whole day( I need to wait tilll next day to get a responds).
There are so many bots, the report word limit doesn't allow me to type in the names of everyone. So is saying something like "everyone in group with ***** is a bot" or "in Giant cave, there's a lot of bot" good enough when reporting to GM.... seriously typing everyone of them when there's 3 r 4 groups of is quite tiresome.
About bot problems in game, just check out the Forum in Penny-arcade, mpogd.com, mmorpg.com, amazon.com user/professional reviews.... one of the biggest barriers from people trying the game is all the quitter telling people that "the bot ruin it, don't even try the trial.. your 2 years of hard work isn't as good as something that bot for 2 weeks"
WOW has bot problems too, but by posting news to popular media saying "we banned an amazing amount of players for botting" does give people confident to try the game. Its good advertisment.
I also am wondering if you have ever thought about making a deal with ebay to auto close any illegal auctions. I know it is possible becuase I know for a fact Funcom struck a deal with ebay to auto-remove all illegal auctions for Anarchy Online.
Anticipating spam's response to this, I ask
Why hasn't the VeRO (http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/vero-rights-owner.html) program been successfully used to remove EULA infringing auctions from eBay? Over a year ago, NCsoft claimed they were working with eBay to remove such auctions, but they are still there.
I also am wondering if you have ever thought about making a deal with ebay to auto close any illegal auctions. I know it is possible becuase I know for a fact Funcom struck a deal with ebay to auto-remove all illegal auctions for Anarchy Online.
Anticipating spam's response to this, I ask
Why hasn't the VeRO (http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/vero-rights-owner.html) program been successfully used to remove EULA infringing auctions from eBay? Over a year ago, NCsoft claimed they were working with eBay to remove such auctions, but they are still there.
Exactly, I know working with ebay to stop illegal auctions works, and various comapnies have done it, so why is NCsoft so "reluctant" to do it. Sure they may have done it for like a week or so.
So once again, mr Spam, would you guys/gals consider working with ebay more closly? Becuase even if your system of catching bots is severly lacking, shutting down all the illegal ebay auctions would take a HUGE bite out of the illegal adena selling industry.
*.* alitle input *.*
HGM Spam can you please dont answer all this questions with.. "we are working as hard as we can to stop the bots" as that is the usall answer anyone gets... as this is one of the top conserns of this game.
I would like some info on how you really trie to deal with the issue...
Sorry, that is a nice statement on a webpage (I wonder why I consider the word ebay to be dirty?) but not an answer to the question. Obviously the problem about selling accounts and adana has not been solved yet with this statement. So what went wrong?
How come every time i type /gmlist there are no GM's on when there should be?
They have a hide function. Sometimes GM's dont wanna deal with the million and a half people that will PM them because
"ZOMG THERE IS A GM ON." etc etc...People will just wanna chat up a GM to chat up a GM or call them dirty names because they didnt take care of whatever problem they had before
lol sorry i broke the rules....But i knew the answer to this one!
shonen
Your confusing /GMlist as a private message command.
/GMlist would give out a list of the active GM's that are currently signed on. When the support function was changed in C4 the command was broken.
if i am not completely wrong they hide there Gmnames or that they are online as the users of botprogram only type in there names and when the Gm´s come to investigate the program sences that they are there and logg out... right? :p
Nice link spam, however it only means you have the power to report auctions which you seem not to be using or not to be using enough, or perhaps you are and for some reason either ebay refuses to remove them or the time it takes to do so is too long.
As per Ebay rules (http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/vero-rights-owner.html) "Only the intellectual property rights owner can report of potentially infringing items or listings through eBay's VeRO Program." This sadly means we cant help you by reporting the problem pages ourselves but someone at NC will have to invest the time doing so.
I think it would be important to inform the comunity why even though NC soft has worked with vero, there is still a huge number of lineage adena, accounts, bots and powerlevel services being listed on ebay. Even a casual ebay search reveals over 1 thousand lineage 2 related auctions going on!
I understand if reporting an auction is a lengthy process, NC may not have enough people to deal with this problem, but it would be good to at least see them go after the largest and most damaging auctions, those selling high level characters for example.
I think it would look very good, as well as put many farmers out of business if at least for 1 week there was no L2 items on ebay. If vero can really remove auctions fast, this could be accomplished and be a great step towards fixing the problem.
if i am not completely wrong they hide there Gmnames or that they are online as the users of botprogram only type in there names and when the Gm´s come to investigate the program sences that they are there and logg out... right? :p
Wrong.
*sigh*
GM's used to cover a specific server and answer petitions only for that server. That's what GMlist would show. Now, when you petition, it goes to a queue that is answered by *any* GM that is on duty. GMlist is obsolete and broken. It has zero to do with hidden GMs.
if i am not completely wrong they hide there Gmnames or that they are online as the users of botprogram only type in there names and when the Gm´s come to investigate the program sences that they are there and logg out... right? :p
Wrong.
*sigh*
GM's used to cover a specific server and answer petitions only for that server. That's what GMlist would show. Now, when you petition, it goes to a queue that is answered by *any* GM that is on duty. GMlist is obsolete and broken. It has zero to do with hidden GMs.
Anyway post is getting off track. Lets stick just with questions. Geez if i thought my one post would cause this much controversy i wouldnt have done it. Lets stick to the original post strictly thanks.
Anyway post is getting off track. Lets stick just with questions. Geez if i thought my one post would cause this much controversy i wouldnt have done it. Lets stick to the original post strictly thanks.
shonen
Agreed. Just don't answer questions that you "know" the answer to. I'll do the same.
Are you ready for launch of Franz?
Because this server will be extensively botted from day 0. Farmers must earn ingame stuff ASAP to satisfy hungry re-rollers...
Will there be any special attention given to that server?
Yeah, I am wondering If spam will still hit the VeRO issue:
If you have implemented this policy, then why do you not actively enforce it? There are TONZ and TONZ of auctions on ebay. You would majorly hurt the adena sellers by takign away their biggest market. So I'll say again, why do you not more actively hit the ebay auctions? Esecially since directly hitting the bots themselves is not working, the next logical step would be to take away their biggest selling market.
Various other companies have done it (namely Gravity and Funcom), so I know it can be done, just look at the below links:
I will be going through and cleaning out any editorials from this thread. IF you had a questions removed, it is because it was in reply to a "non-question" post. Feel free to repost any questions.
And what about the sale of the account name and password which are not covered by your IP rights and are user made ?
Like "hello this to state I'm not selling the account or any other NCsoft protected property. The sale is only about the username and the password that I created blah blah" ?
Although keeping all servers clean is one of your top priorities, why do I see synchronously moving parties in every room in every catacomb at any random time?
Where is the endless supply of adena on those selling sites coming from, if u are hitting those bots so hard as u say?
And plz, dont answer this questions with a meaningless oneliner,thx in advance .
ok, I'll try and be original and ask a few unusal questions you may not get from your ordinary player.
1. Have you ever uncovered any middle eastern rings of farmers-botters? I've wondered over the past 5 or so years about mmorpgs in general being used to fund shall we say undesirable elements of society (terrorists).
2. Do you think mmorpgs are used by covert government agents (foreign and domestic) to pass coded messages and information?
3 And finally... lol. It's HGM"Spam". How much do you spam game message boards? I already know the answer I believe, I guessed back in 04. Have you slowed down in your old age? Still spamming? lol
Dein
* I'm getting more and more bored. lol Bring forth the power of logos so I can play not post stuff!*
Hi - how about having passwords for each char - I know famlies that share accounts (Mom, Dad, Kids) and I think it would be great if parents didnt log on to find their kid went around starting wars and pking people with the parents chars...lol
Thanks
Oh and can we get some mana pots for healers... you dont have to give them to the nukers just healers.... would make our job easier
I was curious what we can expect in the future.
It was said that this is the last chaotic chronical and some people are worried that this is the last true major update.
Are we entering a new phase in the story line and will there be chronicle like updates int the future?
Out of all the classes to play what is your favorite class?
When the passwords had to be reset, all of customer service had to work very hard to try and get people back in the game.
With so many people frustrated, did you feel that you where at your wits end trying to help some people that didnt understand that it was not customer services fault there was an exploit?
What did you do to help yourself coupe with the situation and keep that smile on your face with so much negativity at that time?
Will the Unicode support be be introdused for languages with greek and cyrillic alphabet?
The question is rater, will Unicode suport be readded, and not removed like it's curently now for hte NA clients, Unicode is alredy in korea, japan and so on. But here it's gone.