Staff Honors Players...

[mgoddess]

Dateline 7/18/2006: PLAYER HONORS

once in awhile, the Senior staff in GemStone IV finds it neccessary to reward people for outstanding contributions to the game. In years past, we honored people through naming streets after them or rewarding them in other ways, but we felt it was necessary to make a policy regarding distribution of these honors.

Obviously, one can not look to get these honors, as it comes from selfless service, from the heart, and the desire to improve the game as a whole. We would like to honor and respect those who do that, and show them our love and respect for what they do for our game. In this regard, as a policy, when people come to our attention for their selfless sacrifice to the game, by vote of the Senior staff, they will be honored with a title and receive an award of Premium points, and there will be a ceremony held in their honor.

At this time, we honor Xygon, Friend of Commerce, as awarded by the Merchant's Guild for his work on Playershops.com and ensuring the success of the player shop system. He, and others that follow, deserve their honors for their contributions to GemStone IV. We salute you.

END NEWS ITEM

--

Congrats Xygon!

[Bobmuhthol]

Regardless of playershops.com, Xygon is a warrior, and that makes him cool.

<<and receive an award of Premium points,>>

This award thing got a LOT worse after I read that. You've ruined a good idea again, Simu, good job, great concern for your non-Premium player base.

[FinisWolf]

Awesome! Congrats Xygon!

Finis

[DCSL]

Xygon's work has made dealing with player shops so much easier, and it really seems to be out of the goodness of his heart. Bravo! Definitely an awesome and correct move.

[radamanthys]

Yea, premie points are cool and all... but are they not a reward for contribution? Xygon contributed above and beyond, and they gave him a few premie points. Not a bad thing, IMO.

[Numbers]

I'm definitely glad it was Xygon that got the first reward, as player shops would be all but useless without his website.

But I predict that future rewards (depending on who gets them) will be met with cries of favoritism on the parts of the GM's and sucking up on the part of the player.

[Bobmuhthol]

Jamus, Shaelun, and Kranar contributed superior scripting engines, but they haven't been rewarded. :(

[DCSL]

They may be eventually. This is just the first. We can hope.

[Stanley Burrell]

Please tell me he didn't get "Friend of Commerce" as a special post-name, ehm? That isn't very warriorly :-(

As an aside, THANKS FOR SHATTERING THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE BLACK AMUNET MERCHANTS!

More aside, jkz, and he is definitely a roxor.

I hope they name Tsoran.

[Bobmuhthol]

Except playershops.com does not have a ton of wicked fucking annoying adds but tsoran.com does. I want to weep every time I go there to check a map.


Edit: The Google Ads on playershops.com are not even close to similar to the shit on tsoran's site, before anyone says anything.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I hope they name Tsoran.


Ditto.

And eventually, I hope they name Dex for her awesome Nalfein site of awesomeness.

[mgoddess]

I hope they name Tsoran.

Agreed. He's done an amazing job with keeping up his maps.

[mgoddess]

Except playershops.com does not have a ton of wicked fucking annoying adds but tsoran.com does. I want to weep every time I go there to check a map.

Answer: Use FireFox and block the ads, or download the .zip file with all the maps (and subscribe to Tsoran's Yahoo list where he sends out announcements when he's updated maps and/or added new maps).

[Bobmuhthol]

I'll never use FireFox again, because it sucks, and blocking an ad does not mean it doesn't exist anymore. If everyone blocked Tsoran's ads, he wouldn't generate a profit from them, and that hurts him. Good job killing Tsoran :'(

[Latrinsorm]

No offense to DCSL (who assuredly roxx0rz boxxerz of every conceivable variety), but there's really no site that compares to playershops.com. Xygon's pretty much in a league of his own there.

Khaladon really has to get off this smug "I only care about Premies" kick.

[Stanley Burrell]

Khaladon really has to get off this smug "I only care about Premies" kick.

Because Khaladon hasn't done buttloads of things for Prime?

[Artha]

I'll never use FireFox again, because it sucks, and blocking an ad does not mean it doesn't exist anymore. If everyone blocked Tsoran's ads, he wouldn't generate a profit from them, and that hurts him. Good job killing Tsoran :'(
I only block ads that flash, speak to me, or ask me to shoot something and win a free xbox 360. They're awful and if they stop making money for them maybe they'll stop using them, and then everyone wins.

[mgoddess]

I only block ads that flash, speak to me, or ask me to shoot something and win a free xbox 360. They're awful and if they stop making money for them maybe they'll stop using them, and then everyone wins.

Exactly. I don't block the little, non-annoying, static ads...they're just fine.

[DCSL]

No offense to DCSL


Heh, no offense taken. Anything I may or may not have done for the game is highly subjective (whether or not one approves of me, the Nalfein, what I've done to/for the Nalfein, and player documentation in general) and very specialized in nature, whereas Xygon is the Hero of Everybody Who Ever Has Anything To Do With Player Shops. I do not compare!

[StrayRogue]

Good choice for Xygon. Ardwen should get one.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Ardwen should get one.>>

Okay, Warclaidhm.

[StrayRogue]

Your Mother.

[HarmNone]

Congratulations to Xygon! :)

[grenthor]

Regardless of playershops.com, Xygon is a warrior, and that makes him cool.

<<and receive an award of Premium points,>>

This award thing got a LOT worse after I read that. You've ruined a good idea again, Simu, good job, great concern for your non-Premium player base.


How in the hell does that award have anything at all to do with non-premium people and how in the hell does it ruin anything?! lol

[Kuyuk]

Why would Ardwen get one? For being a museum of high end shit?


K.

[TheEschaton]

I wonder if the award will only be for out-of-game contributions, like websites (IE, playershops.com, tsoran.com, the Coven's site) or if they'll actually award it to people who are just good for the game in general? I imagine they'll have a tough time justifying it.

But then, in-game, they'd have an easier time justifying why they're holding an in-game ceremony for people who aren't all that famous except for out-of-game stuff.

-TheE-

[Amaron]

I would like to see Nilandia as well for her site. It was so helpful to be able to find all the gs3-4 changes in one place and her merchant lists are great.

I also would see Tsoran get one. Definitely.


J

[Jazuela]

Some questions:
1) Will only people who have premium, be honored?
2) If the answer to #1 is no, then what benefit will premium points be, to people who choose not to have premium status?
3) If the answer to #2 is "none" then will there be any "seperate but equal" reward for people who are honored, but who aren't premium players?
4) Why are *players* being honored in-game? Players, and their OOG contributions via websites or whatever else, by definition, are OOC/OOG entities. The game, by definition, is an IG/IC entity. I don't understand how the admin can pull that off.

Comment:

I think it's terrific that player contributions are recognized in some official capacity. I just don't understand the methodology behind the rewards/awards they've picked.

[Amaron]

Khal posted that if someone was to receive the award and was NOT premium they would be taken care of in another way.

[Jazuela]

Ah, that's excellent then!

[TheEschaton]

In this case, "taken care of" meaning bumped off for not being premium, right?


-TheE-

[Wezas]

If you're being honored for OOG reasons there should be an OOG reward. Like a free month or two.

[GuildRat]

If you're being honored for OOG reasons there should be an OOG reward. Like a free month or two.

I'd have to agree there. Or at least slip it into a nice box found on the sly or something. EESH, Simu's not very creative with their "reward system"

[Augie]

If you're being honored for OOG reasons there should be an OOG reward. Like a free month or two.

:yeahthat:

I agree with Wezas in that matter. The only thing that's cool about having the in game title is that it sort of does honor you in an OOC way since our characters don't "see" titles.

The thing that would make it poor for the RP enviroment in game is if there was this ceremony from the Merchant Guild to give Xygon this big award when he doesn't sell stuff in game or any of that stuff. If IC the Merchant Guild were to be giving awards, it should go to people like Ardwen, Wadsworth, etc.

[B2]

Khaladon said that someone who has been keeping it up for years is in line for getting an award (we assume he meant Tsoran), as well as a person in Platinum.

[Ilvane]

I hope that Tsoran and Nilandia both get recognized at some point too!! Both of those sites as well as playershops are very well done and extremely helpful.

Congrats Xygon! It's well deserved!

Angela

[Aaysia]

Congrats to Xygon. That's awesome.

I'm surprised Tsoran wasn't honored first though. Hope that goes through soon for him.

[Wezas]

So, what, no award for Kranar?

heheheh

[Skirmisher]

Khal posted that if someone was to receive the award and was NOT premium they would be taken care of in another way.


Jeez, thats messed up.

I assumed, obviously in error, that they would make it a special case where even standard accts would be able to use the premium points for alters and such.

I hope he was specific in what they would get or such an ambiguous promise seems worth little.

[Allusion]

Jeez, thats messed up.

I assumed, obviously in error, that they would make it a special case where even standard accts would be able to use the premium points for alters and such.

I hope he was specific in what they would get or such an ambiguous promise seems worth little.



Whine whine whine. Why not wait and see and then whine if it isn't appropriate. Khaladon goes overboard to help players out, I really don't see where all the complaining about him comes from.

Congrats to Xygon for his award it is well deserved.


Al

[Skirmisher]

Whine whine whine. Why not wait and see and then whine if it isn't appropriate. Khaladon goes overboard to help players out, I really don't see where all the complaining about him comes from.

Congrats to Xygon for his award it is well deserved.


Al

You know me very little if you think I only point out negative things in GS but i do reserve thr right to point out what i see as a negative, yes.

If you dont like that, oh well.

[StrayRogue]

People always whine, regardless of how good or deserved the changes are.

[Skirmisher]

Stray is never negative about anything though, is always only full of joy and sunshine.

[StrayRogue]

I think you'll find I'm positively glowing about good and worthwhile changes to both GS and the world.

Why you seem to think honoring players who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the game...well I don't get it. Perhaps you're just angry that you've accomplished sweet fuck all in the game yourself.

[Soulpieced]

I break you. Just like I break. Your friend.

[Skirmisher]

Why you seem to think honoring players who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the game...well I don't get it. Perhaps you're just angry that you've accomplished sweet fuck all in the game yourself.

You've seen through my facade.

I ache inside over never being as good at GS as you.

Somehow I will have to find the strength to struggle on...somehow...

[StrayRogue]

Did I say anything about my own accomplishments?

I was merely speculating on why you being a whiney, unappreciative bitch.

[StrayRogue]

Oh and to echo your sentiments (when it serves you that is):

Get the fuck back on topic.

[Caede]

The prize for a non-premium account holder is...

...a month of premium.

[GuildRat]

IMHO Juspera earns a retroactive award....give the gal back all her real money for her page.

[Nilandia]

I would like to see Nilandia as well for her site. It was so helpful to be able to find all the gs3-4 changes in one place and her merchant lists are great.

I hope that Tsoran and Nilandia both get recognized at some point too!! Both of those sites as well as playershops are very well done and extremely helpful.
Thanks for your thoughts, guys, but I feel like I've already gotten all the kudos I could hope for. While GS3 was migrating into GS4, a credits page was posted, including people who had helped with the transition. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to have my name on there. Unfortunately, I didn't save the page, so all I've got is my memories.

More important, though, is all the people who use the site and express their appreciation, both staff and players. I can't tell you how it makes my day to hear someone say they use or appreciate the site.

I didn't start the site for my own glory. There's plenty of other ways to do that. I started it because all the GS4 information was being posted on the boards and no one was collecting them for people to refer to, so I thought I'd jump in and help. Little did I know what I'd gotten myself into, but it's been fantastic.

Enjoy,

Gretchen

[Latrinsorm]

Skirm wins. This is generally the case, but I thought it could use reaffirmation.

[Meges]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys, but I feel like I've already gotten all the kudos I could hope for. While GS3 was migrating into GS4, a credits page was posted, including people who had helped with the transition. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to have my name on there. Unfortunately, I didn't save the page, so all I've got is my memories.

More important, though, is all the people who use the site and express their appreciation, both staff and players. I can't tell you how it makes my day to hear someone say they use or appreciate the site.

I didn't start the site for my own glory. There's plenty of other ways to do that. I started it because all the GS4 information was being posted on the boards and no one was collecting them for people to refer to, so I thought I'd jump in and help. Little did I know what I'd gotten myself into, but it's been fantastic.

Enjoy,

Gretchen

Heh, you're in luck. I was on that page as a Host. So, in my humbleness, I decided to save it back then. Assuming I can get the thing to attach...

Okay, 15 minutes later and finally coming to the conclusion that the only thing I can do as far as posting it here is to screen shot part of the file. Here's the part with your thank you. I'm on there too, actually, heh. I can e-mail you the archived file. I have the full page/file version saved plus a single file version; whichever you want.


Meges

[Nilandia]

I would dearly love to get a copy of the page, if possible. E-mail me at nilandia@sovyn.com if you could?

Thanks so much!

Gretchen

[GoingGone]

If this reward becomes only for shit like running a website, or even primarily given out to people like Tsoran, Xygon, and others with sites (not saying they don't deserve it), then it's dumb as hell.

Not everyone who contributes a TON to the game has the know-how or give-a-shit to make a web page. Alot of people do far more for the game from an IC perspective, and if that website award shit is going to be the trend, are getting the shaft.

Again, not that the people who put in the hard work for websites don't deserve recognition, but if that's the point of this award, call it what it is, don't play it up like everyone can have a chance at it by being a worthwhile addition to the game.

Tsoran and Xygon I understand, but after that, they better quit with the website bullshit because it's not fair to the active players that don't know how to make a website, or even have the desire to contribute *in that way*.

[Artha]

It really takes like half an hour to learn how to make a simple website. If you can't invest that time (don't have the "give a shit")...then you probably aren't contributing much anyway.

[StrayRogue]

I love it when people who know they aren't getting anything go wah wah when they see others being rewarded.

Fucking losers.

Plus, a lot of the people who have been honored in the past were from an RP perspective and NOT from an OOG website.

[Skirmisher]

I cant think of a site outside Tsoran's and Xygon's that helped so many.

More recently Nilandias site was incredibly helpful to a large number of people who found the change from III to IV exceedingly confusing.

I found the statistical sorcerers guide to be incredibly helpful in understanding how sorcs worked under GS3 and if this policy had come into effect back then would mosty likely have tried to bring it to the attention of management.

If someone thinks that someone else deserves to be nominated or mentioned or whatever, then make the case here and perhaps a GM will see it or write directly to them.

It certainly could not hurt.

[StrayRogue]

Commandants was the best website.

[StrayRogue]

Lord Quiets' rogue guide was awesome as well.

[Nilandia]

Heh, I think I still have printouts of Quiet and Commandant's profession guides. Along with a bunch of others.

Gretchen, waxing nostalgic

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Not everyone who contributes a TON to the game has the know-how or give-a-shit to make a web page.>>

Examples plz?

[Nilandia]

To add my own (belated) thoughts on the method of rewarding with Premium points, I don't really see why Basic people would have much use for it. To use points, you need to go to FWI, requiring Premium access.

Otherwise, you could only go through a GM to get the same stuff done, so there really wouldn't be a point (no pun intended) to giving points. They could just save the steps and go directly to working with the GMs.

Regarding rewarding people for OOC work, it's too soon to tell. It's just one person thus far, which is not enough to judge on it being a pattern. Personally, I'm just glad that the staff is rewarding players at all. Should have been done a long time ago.

And for the record, if website skills are necessary to make a good site, then count me out. When I started my site, I was on Geocities and had absolutely no clue what I was doing. Since then, I've learned a lot, but I'm still nowhere close to where I'd like to be. People like Xygon, Tsoran, Alarm, Vyrshkana and the like, however, are far more capable. They know coding and such that I couldn't even dream of.

Gretchen

[Sean of the Thread]

I'll never use FireFox again, because it sucks, and blocking an ad does not mean it doesn't exist anymore. If everyone blocked Tsoran's ads, he wouldn't generate a profit from them, and that hurts him. Good job killing Tsoran :'(

rofl @ firefox sucks.

Lemme guess you have IE on your E-machine...

[kookiegod]

Interesting and amusing thread.

It has nothing to do with websites, or the ability or the lack of them.

It's intended to be rare, its not going to be an every day occurance.

As I posted, if they aren't premium, we'll do something else for them, easily accomplished.

I'm glad most people see this for what it is, just a nice thing to do, for people who give so much, just cause they want to. That was our only intent.

Enjoy!

~K

[Sean of the Thread]

Tsoran hasn't been honored by staff before?

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Lemme guess you have IE on your E-machine...>>

Yes. I have a feeling you use a Microsoft operating system, so I won't even come up with anything totally witty to respond with. I'll just say you're fucking dumb.

[StrayRogue]

Firefox does indeed suck ass.

[Artha]

FireFox is so much better than any alternative. Especially IE.

[Stretch]

MPoD deserves props for the first entertaining website.

I wish it was still up somewhere. That Leafeb log was hilairious :(

[Latrinsorm]

It has nothing to do with websitesMaybe I missed it, but what does Xygon do for player shops that's not website-related?

[SpunGirl]

The award itself has nothing to do with "websites" as a rule, is the sentiment I think he was trying to get across.

What cracks me up is that people are now all up in arms over their "chance" at the award (I can't make a website, wah). I'm pretty sure it was specifically stated that this isn't something you compete for or are guaranteed a "chance" at in any fashion.

This is the kind of award that comes from a long-term committment to aiding players for the sole purpose of... aiding players. I'm sure Xygon never imagined this would happen when he began his website (which makes me cry when it's down and I need something).

-K

[StrayRogue]

Maybe I missed it, but what does Xygon do for player shops that's not website-related?

This is a retarded question. He means it doesn't specifically have to do with creating a website, rather the staff are honoring folk who have really made a positive impact on the game via websites, in game stuff, whatever.

The playershops would be nothing without Xygon's site.

[StrayRogue]

What cracks me up is that people are now all up in arms over their "chance" at the award (I can't make a website, wah). I'm pretty sure it was specifically stated that this isn't something you compete for or are guaranteed a "chance" at in any fashion.


-K


Exactly. People are all wah wah because someone else is getting shit they ain't. This makes them cry like fucking little girls.

[Stanley Burrell]

Heh:

Name: Lord Tsoran DeArgonoth
Profession: Cartographer-in-Chief