Lost bow in OTF

[JustDan]

This morning I had a series of consecutive calamities, and lost my newly-purchased bow in OTF. Virilneus and I both scoured the area for it, with no luck. I have an assist in, but on the off chance someone comes across it, please let me know. 6x fusion, and I can provide the description.

[JustDan]

Just because it's apparently newsworthy:

A) Got my initial assist, with GM Varulv. He confirmed that the janitor had snatched my bow, and said that they are unable to restore items lost due to normal game mechanics, and that the "one time replacement" isn't a real thing. I thanked him for his time, and thought the matter dead.

B) I mentioned my experience on LNet, and was told that there was at least one item returned less than 24 hours before my talk with Varulv. I emailed Feedback.

C) Thanks to some good advice, after a few days without hearing anything from Feedback (which seems to be the norm lately), I emailed Valyrka (the Illistim guru).

D) Valyrka got back to me within 5 hours, and said she couldn't help, but sympathized, and encouraged me to request an SGM referral.

E) Mazrath (?) answered my assist last night, and had me run through the whole series of events. He confirmed what Varulv had said initially, but also said that a SGM might (and he stressed MIGHT) be willing to return my item, and gave me a referral.

F) I spoke with a friend who is on good terms with a couple of the SGMs, and he claimed that I should be fine, but that it might take a while.

For now, I'm waiting. But apparently being a squeaky wheel has at least earned me a couple second chances. I've got at least a chance at getting the bow back. Fingers crossed while I wait for the SGM referral.

[audioserf]

I hope you get it back. The amount of run-around you're getting is amusing. Simu, you're not getting any new customers, maybe try to make existing long-term ones happy? It's not like you put the bow on the ground for storage and went on your merry way. You lost it due to a combination of two bullshit mechanics: 1) Disarm Weapon and 2) the Janitor.

Good luck.

[JustDan]

I hope you get it back. The amount of run-around you're getting is amusing. Simu, you're not getting any new customers, maybe try to make existing long-term ones happy? It's not like you put the bow on the ground for storage and went on your merry way. You lost it due to a combination of two bullshit mechanics: 1) Disarm Weapon and 2) the Janitor.

Good luck.

Technically, it wasn't disarmed. If it were, I'd be a little less culpable.

Sequence of events:

1) I got weaponfired
2) I realized I had forgotten to get a disk before heading out (which I am fairly fanatical about)
3) I dropped the bow and pulled out my spare (I realize now that this was a bad move, but it's never been an issue before. Grab spare, kill everything, get original bow back)
4) An Ithzir scout materialized out of nowhere and grabbed my bow
5) The weaponfire went off, stunning the scout
6) I got hit with a 159 d100 roll on a web attempt by a seer, webbing me
7) A janissary walked in, grabbed the stunned scout with my bow, and dragged him one room away
8) I got swarmed and died
9) I decayed, figuring that was the fastest way to get back into the field and look for my bow
10) I put out a call for help on LNet
11) Virilneus was already in the area, and started carpet-bombing OTF looking for it
12) No bow after much effort on his and my part
13) I assisted

[Archigeek]

OTF has its own odd mechanics, but I think generally when you lose something, the best thing to do is stay in the area, at least until you know someone else is there. If Virilneus was already there then I guess it makes no difference.

I do wish they'd clarify the policy. Hearing that the "just one time" thing is not real is a little disturbing, as that means either it isn't real or it's subject to the whims of whomever happens to be working that day.

[jpatter123]

well two things should happen in OTF

a) if a creature steals a player item that creature should not disappear.

b) if that creature dies from injury the item should stay when the creature decays naturally. This would at least give some time to recover the item if another critter picks it up or before the janitor sweeps it.

It's fine they disarm, but the mechanics for losing the item because creatures just disappear are completely OOC.

[Archigeek]

well two things should happen in OTF

a) if a creature steals a player item that creature should not disappear.

b) if that creature dies from injury the item should stay when the creature decays naturally. This would at least give some time to recover the item if another critter picks it up or before the janitor sweeps it.

It's fine they disarm, but the mechanics for losing the item because creatures just disappear are completely OOC.

Spot on.

[KneeCapper]

Just my two cents here. Don't take anything into OTF that ya don't wanna loose. Not tryin to be harsh as I have lost many items in there but nuttin more than normal 5x gear from the local armory that I always get dyed to know it's mine. The one thing I figgered out, especially after a decay is to look for the Itzhir in the West Woods near the Cottage because they is there for a reason, they tottin YOUR gear and that is why they in a place they don't belong. Kill em straight up and your gear will more than likely appear and if they is a sack after ya loot check that as well.

Kilflin / Mike / Halflin Ranger

[RSR]

The one time replacement policy absolutely exists. I believe it was Solomon who mentioned it, contradicting the Feedback GM, on the Mah Gemstoners Facebook Page. Definitely ask to speak to someone higher up.

[BriarFox]

I hope you get this bow back, man. You barely had time to play with it.

On a related note: The one-time replacement policy doesn't exist, or if it ever did, it was unofficial and idiosyncratic. If the item was lost due to a system issue (janitor, Ithzir fading, etc), you're pretty likely to have it replaced and, in general, GMs will try to replace other items as well just to keep people happy. The hard line gets taken when it's a "normal game mechanics" issue (i.e. disarm) or when the player did something silly, like drop a pack on the floor while enchanting and then log out.

[Some Rogue]

The one and only time I had to have an item replaced was due to a bullshit mechanic too. Had an impure coraesine weapon, got itchy cursed and dropped it. The creature picked it up and threw it to the next room (because longswords are totally thrown weapons) where it immediately disappeared to a janitor. It took a couple of assists but I finally got it back.

[Kenn]

I remember you asking about this earlier today on lnet and I related to you what happened to me. A similar thing happened: I got disarmed, a scout popped in and snatched up my bow then killed me with it. No one was able to recover the bow before the scout disappeared. I put in an assist and was asked to give a description of the weapon and any properties. The GM then proceeded to pull the bow out of his cloak, show it to me, have me confirm the ability, then told me I was shit out of luck because he couldn't verify the chain of ownership because I didn't have it registered. After mentioning that I was returning from a multiple year absence and thought the bow HAD been registered, he told me tough shit I should have checked. I asked about the one time item replacement, he said that policy didn't exist.

All in all, a terrible experience with the GM. He could have just answered my assist and told me 'no.' He didn't have to dangle my bow in front of me and be a dick about it.

I really do hope you get your bow back though. I know how much it sucks to lose something in Ta'Faendryl. Side note: I register everything important I own.

[BriarFox]

Which GM was that?

[Kenn]

Emeradan.

[BriarFox]

Emeradan.

Yeah ... congratulations. You just got the douchiest GM on staff. He's a petty tyrant who delights in wielding an illusory modicum of power over players. You can assist and request an SGM referral to protest, at least.

[Kenn]

Well this was almost 2 years ago, so I'm sure it's not even worth my effort.

[jpatter123]

I remember you asking about this earlier today on lnet and I related to you what happened to me. A similar thing happened: I got disarmed, a scout popped in and snatched up my bow then killed me with it. No one was able to recover the bow before the scout disappeared. I put in an assist and was asked to give a description of the weapon and any properties. The GM then proceeded to pull the bow out of his cloak, show it to me, have me confirm the ability, then told me I was shit out of luck because he couldn't verify the chain of ownership because I didn't have it registered. After mentioning that I was returning from a multiple year absence and thought the bow HAD been registered, he told me tough shit I should have checked. I asked about the one time item replacement, he said that policy didn't exist.

All in all, a terrible experience with the GM. He could have just answered my assist and told me 'no.' He didn't have to dangle my bow in front of me and be a dick about it.

I really do hope you get your bow back though. I know how much it sucks to lose something in Ta'Faendryl. Side note: I register everything important I own.

wow.. holy shit... I would have just quit gemstone right then and there. What a dick!

[Kenn]

I AFK skin hunted 15 mil, then bought a new one. Now I know if I ever pull him, I should just ask for a new GM. That and to always register my stuff.

[Rallorick]

yeah, I pulled Emaradan on a lost item myself. It didn't take long to realize that not only was I not getting my item back, he was going to act like a douche about it as much as possible... I decided the item wasn't worth the hassle anyway, so I just asked him point blank how our conversation was going to end - with or without a replacement, then told him he could have wasted a lot less of my game time and just told me that from the beginning.

I know that was a dickish move on my part, but damn that guy wears thin fast... that, and I'm a dick.

[JustDan]

Got it back, with a lot of stern warnings and a bit of a lecture (based mostly around my character's previous infamy). GM Izzea's the shit, though, and I have it back.

[Some Rogue]

:clap:

[audioserf]

Glad it worked out.

[Kitsun]

I am really surprised you got it back considering you tossed it on the ground on purpose to save a deed. But grats!

[JustDan]

I am really surprised you got it back considering you tossed it on the ground on purpose to save a deed. But grats!

Me too. I had pretty much written it off (even buying a replacement one), but I got lucky. Next time, die and decay.

[everan]

I don't think anything that is registered should ever be taken by the janitor. That's a crazy policy, it makes no sense.

[audioserf]

They are too terrified of ever touching the janitor code to ever try and make it a system which approaches "logical".

[jpatter123]

Congrats Dan. Glad it worked out.

[gs4-PauperSid]

Yeah ... congratulations. You just got the douchiest GM on staff. He's a petty tyrant who delights in wielding an illusory modicum of power over players. You can assist and request an SGM referral to protest, at least.

Seriously, has anyone ever had a positive customer service experience with that guy(Emeradan)? Or, failing that, even a neutral one? He must contribute to Simu in some way positively, but it is definitely not on the customer service side of things. I'd definitely keep him away from direct contact of my paying customers ...if I actually needed someone of his 'caliber' I'd keep him behind the scenes.

And, Congrats on getting the bow back.

[Rallorick]

I'm pretty shocked too... that's great Dan.

Just proves this stuff is totally luck of the draw.