Thundergore and his net of words
I'm the kind of person (and worker) that feels in two minds about what I am about to post. I don't seek attention or limelight. I don't think I'm a big deal and don't believe that 'I alone can make a difference'.
However I have just created an announcement thread using my own user name as the title. This is the announcement. It just doesn't feel right.
Bear with me. Those who know my 'work' know I'm long-winded, those that don't, well, you may need some kind of snack or energy drink to reach the end. I promise that I felt that each sentence was relevant (it's just the amount of words it takes for me to build the sentence that I need to work on).
I can't discuss my reasons for parting ways with Jolt for a short spell. They will be lost in the mists of time. I can however discuss returning. Things have changed. Certainly things have changed in ways we probably would rather they hadn't. There are many problems that need addressing within the game. This is what is known as 'putting it mildly'.
I read Brian and Sean's announcement with (similar I'm sure to many of you) a mix of feelings. I always respect developers when they lay their honest thoughts and opinions on the line for the wider community. Communities are critical and it's tough to please even some of the people some of the time. These boards are something beyond even that at times so that feeling of respect was increased a little further.
Now it is time for an admission - I'm hopeless at this game. I don't think any of you are in doubt that I'm not riding high in any form of chart. I'm a hindrance to any Kingdom I join (I have clandestinely joined many - if you've bemoaned the latest 'nub' committing the most heinous mistakes it was probably me) and I find it difficult with my other work and private projects to devote the time I'd *like* to devote to the game in my free time.
Phew, that was tough. Anyway I'm saying that I am by no means an old guard or hardcore player. Surely the announcement and the possibility of the game ending at some point wouldn't bother me right? Wrong.
In community work, I'm never driven by the game, the engine, behind the community. I'm driven by the community. I can get rather empathic. I have thick skin and don't rise to abuse or taunting when a poster has a real issue under their barbed words.
What this means is I feel (never with quite the same intensity as I'm not in anyone's 'shoes' literally) what the community feels, or at the very least I try damned hard to feel it.
So the announcement with respected openness also filled me with sadness. Sadness for all those who've played together over the many years. For those who met through the game. For the players.
At the same time I was confused. This is nothing unusual, I haven't the piercing intellect of a Nobel laureate nominee, but I was confused about why I was returning with the clear instruction to focus on Utopia. Why focus on it if there is no hope?
My confusion was cleared up after a conference call with Sean and Brian (this in itself is new, and positive - remote work is by and large text based and average CM work does not require calls with developers) where Utopia was the sole topic of conversation. The future, current problems, possible solutions, improvements needed - all these things were discussed. B&S's commitment is, to me (but I'm not the one that needs convinced), evident. What is also evident is they don't have the time they want or need right now to provide the swift changes that are called for.
And here is where I come in and where I come full circle. Little old me. Talking about myself shame-facedly.
Well I *am* a possible fragment of the solution. We all are. To add to the cliché littering my posts - you can be part of the solution or the problem (or indeed just wait patiently and see what happens. Customers are not obligated to help us).
As I said I don't seek attention or limelight and I don't think I'm a big deal (or any sort of deal) but I'm faced with logic (and assurances from B&S - but I know you guys don't want assurances so logic must be favoured) which indicates that my presence, and the main focus of my work shows that the game has a future.
I'm very uncomfortable with posting in this fashion. It feels vain. However that is how the situation appears to me: If there was no future there would be no need for a returning, paid employee.
Now that that is over with I must tell you what my immediate tasks are:
Scripting/Cheating/Multis. Whichever name you choose they must be dealt with. It's the main focus for now. For now there is no future, just work. Mustn't look at the horizon or I'll trip over a stone at my feet.
It will be tough. There will be tears from posters and players feeling aggrieved. There will be sweat from CM and developer and moderator and admin as they fight this good fight. I hope there is no blood.
As B&S have little time to devote to the game, this will be a manual labour of love. New automated methods of catching/preventing the scourge would be ideal but right now it's old fashioned. With stick and brawn and grunting... or rather typing and clicking.
This means that you can blame me if something goes wrong. If I've made a mistake (I am human, to be human is to err) I'll try to rectify it and if I can't fix it I want you to know in advance that I HATE being wrong when it makes another player/person suffer. If I screw up - tell me. Just bear in mind that the forum has to stay clean even while you vent your rage.
Try to be patient with me and as always let me know via forum, PM or mail utopiasupport@utopia-game.com (there is a backlog so apologies. Apologies for any delays in general in fact) if I can improve, if I've missed something, if you have suspected cheating to report.
Some things to check if you do want to report cheating:
- Ensure that the Kingdom/Province is still in the game and has not yet been deleted - as i am actively managing this expect to see deletions on a regular basis.
- State your reasoning as to what rule[s] is/are being broken, or why you believe they are cheating - please be as precise as possible.
- Please do not send multiple emails reporting the same issue twice or insulting my face or heritage (or things of that nature) - I'll process all support issues in a queue, I'll be trying to deal with the oldest (or most serious) cases first and duplicates/spam will slow things up.
In general it will be slow to start with. It is a HUGE problem and, I fear, we may need to get REALLY harsh with it. To begin with I will be looking for clear cut cases. It may be that a new temporary (or permanent depending on effectiveness) method may be applied and it may be that this upsets some people. Change does tend to upset a percentage of a community.
I can only promise that I am going to do my best and that I will keep you in the loop and informed in advance.
Thanks as always.
Thundergore/Craig
