Very poorly done, vmk!Fin's Gallery of Fun

[cat_herder]

I just tried to get into Fin's host room and it says I need a ticket. Could you please tell me how to get ticket from the host when you have to get into her room in the first place to get the ticket? :confused3

Earlier I got booted from Hula's game after standing in line for 3 hours.

Very time a host game or event is poorly run I think, well it can't get any worst.
I was wrong.

Yes, I have written to VMK about it.

I have had my fill of VMK today. Good night DIS.

[souper]

I search by game room name. The room name does not match the calendar tonight.
The gallery of fun on calendar.

Well, now I know to search by host name instead. Lesson learned, no hard feelings here.

[dizanimator]

I think she took off the ticket requirement at the time the event is scheduled to open. I don't have a ticket to her room, and I'm number 34 in the queue now.

[JulyGirl]

Yes, it is not fair to let ticketed friends in first.

[smiley76]

I started at 7:28 to tray getting into this host game. It came up immediately but i couldn't get in because the room required a ticket. The funny thing is ... the room was already FULL. How is this possible? Are hosts passing out ticketes to their events that I don't know about?

I am in line now but had to wait until the ticket requirement was removed.

[Matty D]

Yes, it is not fair to let ticketed friends in first.

I agree, friends should not have an unfair advantage like that. Be that as it may, I'm currently in line at #13.

[smiley76]

I just posted about this - i didn't see your post. It is VERY unfair.

[sleepingbeautymama]

Yeah I saw the same thing. The room was full and there were 50 people already in queue and this was when it still showed tickets. I was finally able to get in after they took away the tickets at 101. It's really upsetting to think that they may be allowing certain individuals to get in early with a ticket. Shows favoritism to me which just doesn't sit well with me especially with all the young kids playing and knowing how life already is about those kinds of things.

If anyone gets in, could you post a screen shot? If not I'll post one if/when I get in. :)

[HappyGoLucky]

Yes this threw me too. I searched for the host room, it came up requiring a ticket. I too saw the room full, and about 13 people in the queue. So I scratched my head, and decided to check out the Emporium to see if maybe I had to purchase a ticket there. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. So not finding a ticket in the Emporium, I went back to the search, and ended up at like 290 in queue. What a bummer!

[smiley76]

I just noticed that there is a yard sale in this event. if anyone has a pic please post

[laxplaya1346]

same with me but im now 61 in line

[Goofy05]

I heard about this, too. I had no idea tickets were already available to any staff events, but I am sure it was a mistake on Phinny's part and nothing more than that. I would, however, like to know when tickets were given out. Anyone know?

[Hank's R&R]

Why were ticketed favorites allowed into Fin's room tonight before everyone else? Yet another tool created by VMK to allow staff to show more favoritism. How rude, stupid, and uncalled for. Sorry, but I am angry. Can you imagine how all of the young kids would feel when they find out that they can't get in because they weren't special enough to get a ticket from the Hosts?

That was low VMK. Very low. :sad2:

[Goofy05]

I already posted to the other thread, but I'll post here, too. I still think it was an honest mistake on Phinny's part. I AM shocked that some players already have tickets to host rooms, though.

[Dr.Pluto]

hello my fellow disers just incase i dont make it to fin's gallery of fun i really need a discreption or pic of wat is going on plz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







p.s plz excuse my spelling im kinda tired:rolleyes: :sad1: :sad2:

[VMK_MagicalLadee]

I agree.
This is just not fair to people who arent staff favourites.
Perhaps the tickets were randomly given, but I think not.

[PrincessOp]

I also agree - that's terrible. Very poor show, VMK. :sick:

[Bugdozer]

Hi,
here is a pic:

http://home.comcast.net/~bugdozer/fina_game.JPG


Bug

[VMK_MagicalLadee]

What you uh.. * Ahem *
Do?

XD

[SorcererDonald16]

Didn't this happen the other day too with another game (don't remember the Host), that it was tickets only the first time it came up on the screen? Maybe they just have that selected so no one can enter the room before they're supposed to, and then it takes a bit to turn that feature off? Maybe? :confused3

[dizanimator]

Do you think we can trade for her pins or just the furniture in the room?

Edited to say: I asked and she is just trading for the furniture not pins. I wanted her inferno pin.

[starfiref66]

I also agree. That's why I hate the new pass and ticket systems. But as with all things that get changed we are stuck with them. Yavn and Staff will not change things back just because we don't like the new changes. They don't care about the little people. It's their game and they will make the changes they want.

[smiley76]

Maybe they just have that selected so no one can enter the room before they're supposed to, and then it takes a bit to turn that feature off? Maybe? :confused3


Yes but if that's the case then the room would be empty

[astrostan]

I'm in queue at 310 woot! lol :lmao: that's what i get for being 4 minutes late.

[peasy]

I was in line at 150 something and my IE crashed *sigh* someday I'll make it into one of these things :)

[pinkgalYall]

What are the quest prizes?

[Tootoo 22]

if i am at 300 how long u think it take to get in?

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

Can you do the yard sale then the quest. Or do you have to choose either one?

[Laurabearz]

Yes this threw me too. I searched for the host room, it came up requiring a ticket. I too saw the room full, and about 13 people in the queue. So I scratched my head, and decided to check out the Emporium to see if maybe I had to purchase a ticket there. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. So not finding a ticket in the Emporium, I went back to the search, and ended up at like 290 in queue. What a bummer!


I did the exact thing too! But managed to get back in line at 60....

I would like to know how people entered a ticketed room first though...

[Hank's R&R]

I did the exact thing too! But managed to get back in line at 60....

I would like to know how people entered a ticketed room first though...
The favorites got tickets. It's as simple as that. :sad2:

[smiley76]

OK i'm in room what should i buy

Yellow Soldier
Green Soldier
Green Tiki carpet
candy cauldron
blue crate
green crate
red crate
blue tiki divider

[SorcererDonald16]

Yes but if that's the case then the room would be empty

Gotcha. I re-read some of the posts and the other thread. So apparently, even with a full room and 50 people in queue (as per Sparkle's post on the other thread), it still only allowed people with tickets to join the line.

I doubt it could possibly be an error that a room full of people got tickets, as did at least 50 more. Sounds deliberate to me. :eek: Why even advertise Host events like this then if most of us are not deemed worthy enough to get in even remotely near the front of the line? This really burns me up... and I would certainly like to hear Yavn's explanation for this cherry of an idea.

I had computer issues and couldn't click to get in line until maybe 2 minutes after it was supposed to open. Wound up behind 530-some players. And to know quite a few folks had tickets? Not right, VMK. Not right. I find the whole "selective fairness" concept in VMK to be ludicrous. Fireworks credits had to be reduced because seemingly it wasn't "fair." Okay. I could see some reduction, but not to the level now where only a few players can make even half of what the old game gave out. And yet letting certain people in a publicly advertised Host game first is? :rolleyes:

I'm one miffed duck, right now. :mad:

[Adventuredaz]

While i am sure everyone is disapointed, i very much doubt anything intentionaly was done to gie people an advantage. Everyone is learning how these features work. most likely she had no tickets issued and had room on tickets and friens at a point. I noticed with lagg it is not easy to get it set sometimes and it goes on the wrong setting. I amspeaking from a strting point of 600 in line 3 minutes after it openrd. I will not be surprised when they do ticketed events that it will be like this and everyone will be mad.

[VirtuallyUnknown]

OK i'm in room what should i buy

Yellow Soldier
Green Soldier
Green Tiki carpet
candy cauldron
blue crate
green crate
red crate
blue tiki divider


Red Crate!! And If somebody gets that! Candy Cauldron!!
And after that green crate!!

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

How does this yard sale work. Does the host have only one of each item? The items in the yard sale are for display and she has unlimited of them in her inventory? Someone said that there is a red crate, is it only one, or can we all ask for them?

[VirtuallyUnknown]

Queue Rate: 5 minutes - 2 people

[pinkgalYall]

Red Crate!! And If somebody gets that! Candy Cauldron!!
And after that green crate!!

I see we've got this all planned out now.

[SorcererDonald16]

Everyone is learning how these features work. most likely she had no tickets issued and had room on tickets and friens at a point.

But daz, wouldn't that then mean that a minimum of 65 people per Sparkle's info got in line first either via tickets or the friends list? If only CLs are on Staff's lists, and no tickets were issued, that would mean 65 CLs got in line first. I honestly don't think that's what happened.

I have always liked Phinny because she keeps the lines moving fast, and that was crucial in DC days. I'm hoping this was some kind of system error. But it sure doesn't sound like it, and I will be very sad if we later hear tickets were definitely given. I'm 23, and yet right now I feel like I wasn't cool enough to be given the opportunity to get in line at a lower number. Like the last child to be picked for a dodgeball team. If my feelings are hurt, what about children's feelings? How must they feel?

I guess overall I just feel like the Disney magic is slowly being sucked out of this game for me. :sad:

[DaraAllen]

While i am sure everyone is disapointed, i very much doubt anything intentionaly was done to gie people an advantage. Everyone is learning how these features work. most likely she had no tickets issued and had room on tickets and friens at a point. I noticed with lagg it is not easy to get it set sometimes and it goes on the wrong setting. I amspeaking from a strting point of 600 in line 3 minutes after it openrd. I will not be surprised when they do ticketed events that it will be like this and everyone will be mad.

Daze, I love ya, really I do. You are the proverbial optimist.

However, I believe that we now have two classes of ppl on vmk. Those with tickets and those without.

[JulyGirl]

Daze, I love ya, really I do. You are the proverbial optimist.

However, I believe that we now have two classes of ppl on vmk. Those with tickets and those without.

Well said.

[hdmonkeybug]

If anyone gets in, can you post any kind of updated pictures?

[sleepingbeautymama]

I'm 19 in queue so when I get in I'll post another picture. :)

[pinkgalYall]

If anyone gets in, can you post any kind of updated pictures?

I believe everything is the same currently.

[Belle1997]

Okay confused here

If I get a ticket can I go in any ticketed room? Also If I buy tickets can I go in any room that says ticket. Also if the people in front has tickets in there inventory would that have allowed them in the room.

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5280/iviewcapturedate1501200cv4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[VirtuallyUnknown]

had to go to sleep. was at 141. :(

[sleepingbeautymama]

Okay looking at the second picture everything basically looks the same, does she have more than one of everything we see there?

[sharkm]

I started at 200 than after one and a half hours I was at 89 and thought ok I will get in tonight just in time....but nooooo...... as I was walking around VMK
I thought I will go to my room and put in codes. When I brought up the guest rooms the screen froze on me and would not let me do anything.. I sat there for 15 minutes just praying it would clear up. Why do I put myself thru
this. It just keeps getting worse not better. :sad: :sad: :sad:

[sleepingbeautymama]

Hey I have question about Everest chair, how were those acquired and I'm assuming you can only get it through trading? My daughter likes the chair and I'm trying to decide on the chair or the candy cauldron, which is her second choice? What do you think?

[hdmonkeybug]

Okay confused here

If I get a ticket can I go in any ticketed room? Also If I buy tickets can I go in any room that says ticket. Also if the people in front has tickets in there inventory would that have allowed them in the room.

I believe that the tickets are only for the rooms that generated them, although I have been told that if a player generates tickets that it gets the people that have the tickets access to any of that player's rooms. Am I making any sense? Player 1 generates 20 tickets for room1 and gives them to 20 ppl. Those 20 people would have access to all of Player 1's ticketed rooms. This was not my original understanding of these tickets. I thought they were supposed to be room specific, but from what I have been told, they are player specific-I have not played with them enough to know.

[DaraAllen]

Hey I have question about Everest chair, how were those acquired and I'm assuming you can only get it through trading? My daughter likes the chair and I'm trying to decide on the chair or the candy cauldron, which is her second choice? What do you think?

get the candy cauldron. I have extra chairs, as I'm sure many other do!

[SorcererDonald16]

Sparkle, Everest chairs were given out for Everest month last year. I think they were also available via a Q button quest the other Sunday. They're fairly easy to trade for. Candy cauldrons are not. I'd go with the cauldron, and then trade for the chair so she can have both. But that's just how I would do it.

I'm behind 201 players with approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes to go. And I got in line about 2 minutes after the room was scheduled to open (which happened because since the updates last Monday, my computer freezes all the time). Ludicrous. There goes my dreams of a red crate. :(

[pinkgalYall]

I believe that the tickets are only for the rooms that generated them, although I have been told that if a player generates tickets that it gets the people that have the tickets access to any of that player's rooms. Am I making any sense? Player 1 generates 20 tickets for room1 and gives them to 20 ppl. Those 20 people would have access to all of Player 1's ticketed rooms. This was not my original understanding of these tickets. I thought they were supposed to be room specific, but from what I have been told, they are player specific-I have not played with them enough to know.
I believe, that when he first told us about that tickets that was their original game plan, but as they worked on more and more stuff, their plan changed. They tickets are now good for and of the player who generated them's rooms.

[sleepingbeautymama]

Thank you all, I'll get her the candy cauldron. :)

[hdmonkeybug]

nvm

[Taryn]

Hi,

I don’t post often anymore but I just have to share my experience with the room tonight. VMK does some things wrong and they do some things right and in this case I believe an error off the top is perhaps being misinterpreted.

I was ready to look for the room at 8:30EST. The room came up in the popular rooms list with the ticket icon beside it. I thought, wow that is weird. Tried to enter and could not. I do not remember what the queue was listed at at that point but there were some showing in “queue”. No entry.

I tried again with the ticket requirement still showing beside the room name. I must have hit the exact right moment as I got directly into the room. No queue at all just standing at the door. The room was empty before me. Fin welcomed us in and I was fourth in that line.

There were no “ticket holders” in the room already just us. I did not have a ticket. I don’t believe anyone could have had a ticket. I do not know why the room showed a queue. All I know is that I got into an empty room but for the host along with the usual 14 others without a ticket.

I know VMK has made some weird decisions in past but I believe that maybe the host saw a way to get the room open (by listing it with non-existent tickets) and get herself settled and ready for us and didn’t anticipate how that action would be interpreted in the popular rooms list.

All I know is I am not special, I just got a lucky click for once.

Just my experience, nothing more.

[cowboys_girl]

What are the prizes for the quest, anyone know?

-Stacey

[SorcererDonald16]

I appreciate the info, Taryn. However, that still doesn't explain why people who saw the already existent 50-100 person line in the queue had to wait quite a while before getting into the room. If people weren't already in line, why would the wait be so long for those who got in as soon as it opened to non-tickets? Of course, that also doesn't explain how you could get in and see an empty room. It's bizarre and confusing. :headache:

This whole thing is very odd to me, and I would hope Yavn will get on his Newsletter tomorrow and make an update explaining exactly what the heck is going on.

[TikiKrissy]

I got in line at like 276 a couple minutes in, made it down to 114? I think, then got that weird error message (the purging castmembers one) and was knocked off Firefox. I'm bummed that I couldn't get into the yard sale, but it's still better than trying to click-click-click my way in the whole time.
I wonder if ANYONE tried Fin's quest?? Doesn't seem like it!
Tiki

[starfiref66]

And I would hope Yavn will get on his Newsletter tomorrow and make an update explaining exactly what the heck is going on.

Never Going To Happen!! Yavn and staff never apologize for any problems with the game. Or tell why the site is having lag and connections issues.

[Taryn]

You're right SorcererDonald, it doesn't explain it at all and some follow up from VMK would be greatly appriciated.

I just thought it might be helpful for those who were angered by the way the event unfolded tonight to know that at least the fourth person to enter the room did not have a ticket.

We all love (and sometimes hate) VMK and when it turns around and bites us it hurts. I hate to see my friends hurt.

I do hope it was all an error and hopefully my experience will be taken into consideration for purposes of this discussion.

[ash410]

I'd love to see some updated pictures of the host event if anyone has them :)

[pinkgalYall]

They have not changed at all. :)

[Disney Dreams]

I believe that the tickets are only for the rooms that generated them, although I have been told that if a player generates tickets that it gets the people that have the tickets access to any of that player's rooms. Am I making any sense? Player 1 generates 20 tickets for room1 and gives them to 20 ppl. Those 20 people would have access to all of Player 1's ticketed rooms. This was not my original understanding of these tickets. I thought they were supposed to be room specific, but from what I have been told, they are player specific-I have not played with them enough to know.

A ticket generated by a player will get you into any of that player's rooms. On Saturday, I issued tickets to some friends (monkey, you have 1). A friend and I tested the ticket. She was allowed to enter any of my rooms that were on tickets only, although we were surprised by this. We thought it would ONLY allow access to the room from which I issued it - however this is NOT what happened when we tested it. She was able to enter a different room when I placed it on "Tickets Only."

[BriarRosie]

Hi,

I don’t post often anymore but I just have to share my experience with the room tonight. VMK does some things wrong and they do some things right and in this case I believe an error off the top is perhaps being misinterpreted.

I was ready to look for the room at 8:30EST. The room came up in the popular rooms list with the ticket icon beside it. I thought, wow that is weird. Tried to enter and could not. I do not remember what the queue was listed at at that point but there were some showing in “queue”. No entry.

I tried again with the ticket requirement still showing beside the room name. I must have hit the exact right moment as I got directly into the room. No queue at all just standing at the door. The room was empty before me. Fin welcomed us in and I was fourth in that line.

There were no “ticket holders” in the room already just us. I did not have a ticket. I don’t believe anyone could have had a ticket. I do not know why the room showed a queue. All I know is that I got into an empty room but for the host along with the usual 14 others without a ticket.

I know VMK has made some weird decisions in past but I believe that maybe the host saw a way to get the room open (by listing it with non-existent tickets) and get herself settled and ready for us and didn’t anticipate how that action would be interpreted in the popular rooms list.

All I know is I am not special, I just got a lucky click for once.

Just my experience, nothing more.

Thank you for posting this, Cookie. I just got home from Las Vegas only
to read this thread, and I must say, I am VERY upset at how quick everyone
was to jump down Phinny's throat before any REASONABLE explanation could
be given.

Last week, Hula had her Everest game on tickets only, only to take it off
tickets and I was lucky enough to click right on the first try into the
non-ticketed room.

After reading all those hateful responses, frankly it made me want to turn
around and get on the next plane back to Vegas. I think every Phinny basher
needs to apologize for those comments.

[HappyGoLucky]

I don't believe I jumped down Phinny's throat. I happen to like Phinny, and all the hosts. And I've been booted from their rooms for whatever reason, and felt ignored after asking questions, etc.

I just gave an explanation of what my experience was this evening. I was truly puzzled, and didn't know what I was supposed to do. And because of my ignorance, I'm currently 24 in line and probably won't get into the room. And I was in line at least two minutes after it opened at around 290.

I'll know better next time, to ignore the tickets and keep clicking until I get into the room.

UPDATE: My computer says 11:30 and I'm number 12 in line. I'm going to stay at this point, but I'm doubtful I'll actually get into the room.

UPDATE2: Nope I didn't make it.

[SorcererDonald16]

Briar, I don't know if you think I was giving hateful responses or not, but I will say I said repeatedly "if" it was intentional. Also said I have always liked Phinny. However, I still think something is wrong because more than just a couple people have said the line was already well over 50 and it still said "Tickets Only." And they had to wait quite awhile once they did get in line. It doesn't add up. If it's what happened, I highly doubt this would be something Phinny would do without instructions from people above her in the VMK chain, and therein the blame would lie.

As I said, I would like Yavn to explain to us in a newsletter update so we know what is going on here. If it's an accident or error, that's fine and I wouldn't be upset in the least. If it's intentional, I find that to be wrong and unfair. That's just my honest opinion, and it's coming from someone who is deeply hurt at the thought that some were given tickets to the event while the rest of us had to fend for ourselves. The idea of certain people gaining access to a room or event before the masses is obviously a very touchy subject and leads to a lot of hurt feelings. It's like saying someone is special or good enough to get in right away, and the others are not. Which is why I urge Yavn or someone else to post on the site what has happened as best as they can explain it.

[TLinden16]

I have to say that if there is a problem with the yard sale events it's that it takes too long. I got in line at about 70 right at 8:30 eastern, and I made it into the room about 10:30, and made my trade at about 10:45. The trading just slows things wayyyyy down. If I had been in line above say 150, I don't think I'd even bother waiting.

The one thing I think we can fault Phinney for in this event is that she allowed people to do both the trade and the quest, which required her to to move a stick so people could get at the quest machine. If she didn't have to move the stick back and forth after just about every trade, it would have sped things up a bit, and more people would have gotten in.

[anya.sparrow]

Yike.

I got home from work tonight. *Early* at a little after 6 p.m. PST. (Shudders to think about normal getting home after 7 p.m.)

Got in line first thing. 900+ in queue.

8:21 p.m........................ 244 in queue.

:sad:

I am really leaning towards VMK needing multiple host rooms. I think it is the only solution should they continue the pass system.

[peasy]

It certainly needs to be addressed, and I would imagine there will be some screen shots next week :beach:

I thought maybe we had to do a quest to get a ticket or something, rofl. I got out of the popular guest rooms and went to the queue button...then rapid messages to friends saying, "Ticket? How do we get a ticket?" :lmao: I went back in at the ticket thing was gone and there were already 300+ people in line. This was my one shot to get into one of these deals as I'm never home before 6:45/7:00 on work days and that's way too late to have a shot of getting in. But life isn't fair, so what do you do? I'll sit and shine my new black candle that I got today through trade :)

[peasy]

multiple host rooms would ROCK or even having more than one host in that room to speed things up a bit would help.

[SorcererDonald16]

She let them do both, Rolls? I thought the description said "Choose" one or the other? I can't check as I'm still in the "standby line;" was afraid to try pass because of the problems I've had with it booting me back to the end of the line even when clicking once.

I started around, what, 550-something. Should be closing now, and I'm behind 75. And I got in line 2 minutes after it was scheduled to open. This is plain silly. I wasn't playing VMK when they had unlimited queues (either that or I didn't play Host games at that time), but I feel all of y'alls pain now. :sad2:

[peasy]

What is a stand-by line??

[SorcererDonald16]

What is a stand-by line??

I mean just the old fashion queue, without using VMK Pass. Meaning I've been looking at the room loading bar for 3 hours now. :sad2: I was too afraid to try to use Pass because of the problems I've had with it.

[peasy]

oh, I didn't even know you could do that anymore. So you are in the same line, just have to stay with the load screen? See I never made it through those queues..lol the pass saved me from DCing every time I tried to make it into a non-teleporter event.

[ash410]

well... I just waited since shortly after room opening... behind 500ish people... and didn't make it in :( Oh well... I guess maybe next time........

[SorcererDonald16]

oh, I didn't even know you could do that anymore. So you are in the same line, just have to stay with the load screen? See I never made it through those queues..lol the pass saved me from DCing every time I tried to make it into a non-teleporter event.

Yes. It's my saving grace in a way because I have things to do and am constantly busy and can't afford to play VMK for 3 hours normally. If I didn't use that and used Pass in a lot of cases, I'd get disconnected. And with the 2 hours it takes me to load the game now, that's a mess of the 1st order.

I guess I can try this event again next week, but after that it'll be over for me because I have night classes during the week and won't be getting home until 9pm EST some days and 11pm others.

I stayed in queue just to see what would happen. Got in at 11:49. Phinny was still in there and said "Sorry, the room and game close on half hour" or something like that. I should've stayed and asked what happened with the tickets, but I'm just too upset to say or type much of anything right now. I just hate that a game I loved so much is driving me to tears on an almost daily basis now. :sad1:

[peasy]

makes perfect sense and that's neat it's still an option for people who don't like the pass.

[Disney Dreams]

The favorites got tickets. It's as simple as that. :sad2:

Do you (or anyone else for that matter) REALLY believe that???

There may be some bugs that they are working out, but I find it impossible to believe that some people had preferential treatment for tonight's event.

And I think to accuse Fin or anyone else of that is just not right.

-Disney Dreams

[dizanimator]

I know I didn't post after I was in the room, but I had to eat dinner.
I think I just missed getting to see a gnome in the room, I think LauraBearz and I were in the room at the same time. Other than asking if her pins were for trade (I really wanted the inferno she was wearing) I didn't do a lot of talking in the room to try and keep it moving as quickly as possible. Unfortunately Phinny got dc while trading with me. She said Hi, I asked for a red crate please, she added it and I clicked accept trade. Then nothing until the trade window and Phinny disappeared. I checked, and the trade hadn't gone through, so when she got back she traded me my red crate. :cool1: I was really lucky to get in the line as early as I did, but I would really like to know what was going on with the room being tickets only for a few minutes before it was scheduled to open. :confused3

[cowboys_girl]

Just wanted to mention I looked at the calender for the rest of this month and next because I was not prepared for this event and wanted to be for the next one.

Well anyway, Saturday Feb 3rd either is not done being changed over for the new "New Orleans Square" Host room names or they are running double rooms that day. How are the hosts going to be in two places at once though???

-Stacey

[SorcererDonald16]

I think people are more likely to assume tickets were given out because Yavn himself said they'd start having "exclusive events" where you need tickets.

[peasy]

Let me start off by saying, although disappointed I didn't make it in tonight, I'm not mad or hurt. Curious as to what happened is a good way to describe it. I'm sure vmk staff will address what happened at some point. If nothing else, in e-mailed responses to those who clicked on contact us and said, "what was that?" :)

When I went to search at 7:28 Fin had a room and it had people IN it and people in queue for it.

Do I know what that room was for? Nope

Do I know who was in that room or who had tickets and was in line for that room? Nope

So, when I went back in the next few times, I was VERY confused and bewildered.

So how about we quietly and calmly discuss the possibilities.. if this was an un-intentional mistake, it was an interesting one. Considering there were people in that room and people in line, that means poeple have tickets to that particular room or at least one of Fin's rooms, right?

Someone mentioned that she may have wanted to open up and get ready - but weren't they able to do that before the pass/ticket system was introduced? I would imagine they have a feature that they can do whatever they want in a room without allowing anyone access. At the very least, they are not allowed to have "friends" and therefore, could make the room "friends only".

So another possibility is that hosts and vmk staff were allowed in there to "view" and be in the room and there are about 65 of those people? I guess? I'm just trying to figure out in my mind what the "un-intentional" mistake could be. If this was the case...why wouldn't they open the room under a different name to do such a thing? I'm sure they have to know what kind of a stir this would cause.

Maybe they gave tickets to those that they saw doing something nice? Seems like they would have mentioned it prior to the even though.

Either way, it's their game and it's free so I don't feel the liberty to complain much. It just confused the jeepers out of me. :lmao:

On a total side note, I saw Hula trading earlier today with a CL and after they were done she said, "thanks for letting me borrow that" - that confused me too, can't hosts get anything they want? I guess they have to get it from some sort of "inventory" or store too though and she must not have had what she needed on her right then.

[qruthie]

I don't know what happened tonight but I think it's premature to conclude that favorites were given tickets. I don't believe the event was ticketed at all. What probably happened is Phinny set the room as ticket only to prevent people from entering it before the event started then changed the status when she opened the room. It's likely many computers wouldn't update the room status immediately to reflect the change from ticket to non-ticket. I know in the past I've seen Host room title or description updates posted on the DIS long before I saw them appear on the popular room list. I think it says a lot that we have a person in this post who didn't have a ticket yet was the fourth person in the room.

Why would the line be so long so quickly? Well, there were over 5000 people on VMK when I checked before the event started. 50 to 100 of them could have easily gotten in line in a fraction of a second. I've seen some real life cases of this happening. Disney Auctions used to sell pins from a limited edition of 250 using buy it now on ebay. If Stitch was on the pin, the pin would sell out in less than 10 seconds. That's right, 10 seconds! I think the shortest sell out time we ever saw was 2 seconds.

Now, if there had been tickets for Phinny's room, there could have been many reasons people had them other than favoritism. Can tickets be given out as quest prizes? Can tickets be given as game prizes? Can tickets be given out during trade events? I'm not saying that any of these happened because I don't believe people had tickets for Phinny's room. However, if there had been tickets, people could have gotten them from these types of sources.

[SorcererDonald16]

But qruthie, a lot of people are all saying the same thing: they tried to enter the room, when it first popped up and couldn't because they "needed a ticket." And soon it showed a queue of between 50-100, and still said "tickets only." I would be inclined to think it was a glitch myself if it wasn't a boatload of folks both in the game, elsewhere, and some here all saying the same thing. Line kept getting longer, and it still said "tickets only." Then "tickets only" was removed and the line shot up to an awful number in the hundreds. It's not like the room showed up as red mickeys like sometimes happened before with the Yard Sale, it showed up but said they couldn't access it because they had no ticket. That wouldn't be an issue of the individual computers freezing, I don't think. I know there are bugs any time a new thing is released, but this truly does not make sense to me.

If it is something like they are rewarding people for good behavior or what not, they need to tell us that so we know what's going on.

[Adventuredaz]

Why do they need to tell us anything, they give us the times and the event happens. I have seen these events fill up for two years almost. This is not new and they tell us more now then in the past. Incidentally I am a realist not an optimist, since it came across that way. I feel I know Fin better then to intentionally run an event in an unfair manner. I can tell you I did not get in and if you review my posts you will see I have said the Yard sale would be the measure of the passes worth. I never got in the event without the pass and I did not get in with the pass. So for me the negatives outway the possitives. I can't play at the mansion while in line, only Fire works or I crash. So i waste a lot of time lose credits and have less or equal chance of getting in the room.

All of you be prepared, they will be operating ticketed events and it doesn't matter how people get the tickets people will accuses and abuse people in all maners out of jealousy and rage, I find it very sad that ya'll can't give the benefit of the doubt and all feel entitled to something others have and just can't enjoy the game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
***I would like to add an apology to Fin for the poor treatment I feel she has recieved here tonight from some of my (embarased to admit) fellow board members that have bumped thier heads, and gone off half cocked, accusing things they know nothing about. Thay apparently have forgoten she is doing a job and coments such as I see here are both mean and hurtfull. Some people assume a lot, without all the facts, and you know what that does.

[elikapekakini]

all i have to say is you are all right they might be favorites and they might be prizes we dont know all i know is that i sit in line for 3 houres then when i do get in i get booted!! because i was late not right to me but i am so used of being booted, cheated, ect.... that i am about to quit VMK because i have been on of 2 year and all this makes me mad!

[ForeverWDW]

Here's a few thoughts about tonights event . First off congrats go out to Host Phinny. I think she may have reached that 1000 people in waiting line goal. Top I was able to see tonight was 983 ppl waiting in line. Secondly my hats off to you Phinny :D I was waiting in line with the rest of the ones who almost made it. I figured she traded about 500-550 ppl. Thats an adverage of 2-3 ppl a minute.. Kuddos to you girl. :cool1: Even on my best day I can't trade like that..lol

OK now about the ticket things everyone is debating. My thoughts are this, If by some shear chance some 100 ppl got a secret pass to Phinnys room don't you think that little tidbit of info would spread around VMK and the boards like crazy? Not one mention of it. So here's what I think happened.. Phinny tried to go in her room and was flooded by 100 or so ppl trying to get in as quickly as possible. She attempted to create a pass only enterance trying to stop the flood of ppl. The poor people who got caught in the pass only line must have gotten the "Can not enter from the map" bar. They then had to try and re-enter the line with the rest of us. Reasonable explaination? You tell me :)

Congrats go out to those who did actually make it in Phinny's room. Hopefully I can be a lucky one next time around.

[qruthie]

I understand what you are saying and I'm not saying you are wrong. Things do seem to be very fishy. I'm just trying to offer a possible explanation for the room showing up as being a ticketed room and having a queue without any tickets being issued let alone being used.

What I mean is I believe that not all computers recognized that the room had been changed from ticketed to non-ticketed. I'm not talking about computers freezing. A delayed update could easily happen if one VMK server noticed the change before the other VMK servers did. My semi-educated guess is server A picked up the change and players on server A were able to get into the room or get their VMK pass. Meanwhile, players on server B, server C, and so forth still saw the room as being a ticketed room, saw the queue growing and couldn't get in the room. This didn't make sense so people, using the data they saw on their screen then assumed the room was ticketed and favorites had been given tickets. Then when server B, server C, and so forth picked up the change, the line grew bigger very fast. That made it look even more like a few favorites had been let into the room before it was opened to the rest of the players. Again, this is just my semi-educated guess. Back when I was writing software, it was very common to update things on one server and then let the update propogate itself to the other servers.

Of course that makes it somewhat difficult to explain how the queue length was being updated without the ticket status being updated but that could boil down to the nerdiest levels of the inner workings of VMK and how data updates are prioritized. It is possible that the queue length data is updated at a higher priority than the room access data is updated. It does make sense to do as close to a "live" update of the length of the queue and make it a higher priority update than the data that says who can access a room. The reason would be that the queue length data is expected to be constantly changing compred to the data about who can access a room which would change significantly less often. I hope this makes sense, I'm tired and am having trouble explaining.

This is just a single, therefore meaningless, data point but yesterday I changed one of my rooms' access from friends to only myself yet a friend was able to enter the room after I had made the change. Because of that, I'm quite sure there is a good chance of a delay between when the room access data is changed and when it gets noticed by VMK.

[Adventuredaz]

Actually Q that made a lot of sense in that i have noticed toom titles don't update fast on friends lists if a person is in the room and the title changes quite some time can pass before the rooom title on the friend list updates. I think in fact it does not untill they re-enter the room. so that updates by request only. So the first people in may have still seen ticket only but when they clicked it received fresh data that allowed entry where others may not have. So it is sure that some information is prioritized diferently in the game.

[peasy]

Regardless of for how long, or why though - we have determined that Fin did choose to make her room available ONLY to "ticketed" guests at some point, for some reason. There are three choices (right? - my memory is terrible some times) for us as users (and I would imagine even more for hosts):

Everyone
People with tickets
Friends only

Someone brought up a good point, maybe on accident she opened the room, then tried to change it to "tickets only" to stop the flow and maybe the people who did get into the queue or room early got the boot, or had to go to the back of the line? Interesting!

[hdmonkeybug]

Someone mentioned that she may have wanted to open up and get ready - but weren't they able to do that before the pass/ticket system was introduced? I would imagine they have a feature that they can do whatever they want in a room without allowing anyone access. At the very least, they are not allowed to have "friends" and therefore, could make the room "friends only".



My guess on all of this would be that it was some sort of a glitch that had to do with this (which Yavn posted in the newsletter): "In the past when the event time was close to being over we would pull the room from the Room Navigation Menus and only the remaining 50 players waiting in the line would get in. Now with the VMK Pass system we currently have no way to turn off the passes when a specific threshold is met."

If they no longer have the ability to pull rooms from the Nav bar - why do we think that they have the ability for it to show up when they want? She was probably getting the room ready - like someone said, and put it on tickets only. I saw the same thing you all did. At 8:28 I looked for host room and it popped up with a line an don tickets only. I clicked enter again and I got in line at 157, only to leave the queue later by accident, (that's another story). But I have seen these rooms fill very quickly, within seconds and I have also had the luck of being the first in a host room, so it varies and I really don't think that Phinny had anything to do with it.

[SorcererDonald16]

The statement that we all feel we are entitled to something and why can't we just enjoy the game... that really hurts, even if not directed at me. Actually it reduced me to tears. I have never felt entitled to anything in this game. I believe we all have a right to an equal shot at getting into the events to get special prizes. That, in my opinion, is not a sense of entitlement, but rather a sense of fairness. I didn't complain one bit when I didn't get in Hula's events most times and only got in the Aqua Fire event once back in the summer (aka the game that gave out an Inferno if you got lucky). I was sad, but I never said I was "entitled" to get in and get a rare item in trade or win Inferno.

Q, your post made sense to me after I read it a couple of times. I'm not very computer-savy, so it took awhile. That is possible, and I hope that's what happened. I hope someone with VMK will give us an explanation ASAP.

Peasy, there's also another option for the rooms: Myself. So, can't you only have the room open to yourself without allowing tickets or friends in as well? Unless I"m confused, I'm thinking that is how it works.

[StephenTXT99]

If anyone actually paid any attention they would have seen the line fluctuate very rapidly. I doubt 70 people were issued tickets and as some of you are trying to suggest that Fin intentionally only wanted to give VIP treatment to some, all she had to do was set to friends only and the room wouldnt even appear in the search box.

So stop the bellyaching and childish speculation. I entered the room at 2 minutes past, and had no ticket. I was the 6th person in, and to prove this, Someone asked fin whether they could get her pins, she said no pins for sale.

Enough people, some of you read too much into things:rolleyes1

[StephenTXT99]

All of you be prepared, they will be operating ticketed events and it doesn't matter how people get the tickets people will accuses and abuse people in all maners out of jealousy and rage, I find it very sad that ya'll can't give the benefit of the doubt and all feel entitled to something others have and just can't enjoy the game.

Well said. VMK will never win. If they announced today that on April 15, 2009 they were giving away 5000 infernos, someone will still complain that there wasn't enough notice.

[TLinden16]

She let them do both, Rolls? I thought the description said "Choose" one or the other? I can't check as I'm still in the "standby line;" was afraid to try pass because of the problems I've had with it booting me back to the end of the line even when clicking once.

Yes, she was letting people do both even though it said choose. I wound up doing both because just about everyone else was, and there were some good prizes in there. I just thought it slowed things down, though, as she had to move a stick for everyone to get into the quest area.

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

I made it in last night. I started by clicking on entering host room. Like many people have mentioned, it stated that I needed a ticket. So i tried a few times to enter and finally got in line at about 150 or 160 something like that. Well it finally took me 2 1/2 hours to get it. When I asked Phinny for red crate, I clicked accept. My screen froze up! I managed to check my inventory. Yes, I got the red crate. But I couldn't exit the room. I wanted to try the quest but couldn't. So I was a little concerned in the beginning but I was happy it turned out ok for me. I'm sorry to say that it looks like if you don't get to the host events within the first 5 minutes or so you're not going to get in. Unless it's a teleporter event where the line moves quickly.
Good for some, not so good for others.

[Hank's R&R]

I would just like an official explination as to what happened. Thats all.

If it was intentionally ticketed, my comments still stand.

If it was not intentionally ticketed, you all can burn me at the stake and I owe Fin a sincere apology. :thumbsup2

Disney Dreams - I don't know how often you visit Host games or rooms where Host's are, but you'll usually find that there are always people who "stock" Fin and follow her around in there. There are always also the people who are her "favorites" (thats just what I call them) who are the ones who would get tickets. Just my opinion and I am sorry if I offended anyone.

[tigressjewel]

I had no idea this was all going on last night. I know I did click to check out the host room and see about getting in line but when I saw 790, didn't even bother as I knew I had no chance of getting in. VMK pass is a great idea, but with the bugs it has now its almost worthless. What good is it to use it if I'm going to crash at 35 or get in the room after its closed? :confused3 This certainly needs improvement. As far as tickets...


All of you be prepared, they will be operating ticketed events and it doesn't matter how people get the tickets people will accuses and abuse people in all maners out of jealousy and rage, I find it very sad that ya'll can't give the benefit of the doubt and all feel entitled to something others have and just can't enjoy the game.


I feel sad to say that this statement is just all too true. VMK has continually promoted greed and jealousy in the game and apparently they are now taking it even further with favoritism issues. As for me, pixels come and pixels go, but I choose to enjoy the game regardless. When you really stop and think about it, your game play/experience is not affected by any pin, furniture or costume. What makes the game fun is the people you meet. I could lose my entire inventory, but as long as I still have my friends list, I have all I need in VMK!

[Grumpy_Disney_Dad]

Just to add my experience to the mix, I too started clicking on the host room at 3 minutes until open. The first time i clicked it was a ticketed room with 15 people in line and in the room. The second time i clicked It was a ticketed room with 15 people in it and 100 people in line. The third time i clicked it, it was an open room with 15 people in it and I became 60th in queue. What I would guess happened was that fin opened teh room, Then switched it to ticketed to "get the room ready" then reopened it. I dont think the hosts would intentionally open a ticketed room just to play favorites. Iknow some of yall disagree with that statement, but my thoughts behind it are: If i was able to get in line at 60 after seeing 100 people ahead of me, Then that would mean that 40 people moved through the room in less than 2 seconds. I find that very hard to believe and think the lines were simply a program glitch. Personally I think the host event went very fast and smooth considering that it was a yard sale AND a quest. I know all of us want to get into every host game and event but lets face it with an average player count in teh 5000 range this is no longer going to be possible. I would also like to add that personally I like idea of having different events rather than the same "Find the Teleporter Game" and I thank the staff for coming up with new and creative ideas.
Are there stillproblems with the new system ..YES, but rather than jump on the staff and declare that they are playing favorites, I think everyone should take a deep breath, Give the benefit of the doubt this time, and wait and see if the problem gets fixed.


I would now step off my soap box but being a short Gnome, I need it so i can reach the faucets and cabinets in my kitchen

[Laurabearz]

First I would like to say that I consider myself a staff favorite and since I didnt get a ticket to last night's event it MUST have been a glitch of some sort. :lmao:

I have noticed other host games starting up tickets first... then going over to regular.. just the switch was faster....It has to be a glitch...

I also go in line at exactly 60 (so grumpy you must have been 68 or so) after seeeing the line much longer than that.

Let's hope Yavn see's this thread and includes a little blip about it in the next newsletter. To ease everyone's rampant thoughts.

[PrinceLegolas]

Shoot.........I'm glad I didn't even bother!!

Phin, as I like to say "Nice.........."
PrinceLegolas

[Lauralee]

I didn't try to get into Phinny's room until later, so I ended up getting number 600-something (I don't recall exactly what it was) and never got in.

Anyway, did anybody else have problems with tremendous lag last night? I couldn't even finish playing haunted mansion games because I was kicked back to lobby after first round, as the second round tried to load but was too laggy. I even had a long wait just getting into vmk. Very unusual for my computer.

Here's my view on what might have happened: VMK was, in general, lagging. Let's say Phinny was getting her room ready, so she didn't want anybody in there yet. She clicks "tickets" (but nobody has tickets!) to keep people out. People have been searching for her room, so it shows up as "ticketed guests" only. People start getting steamed and hurt. Phinny then switches room to "everybody." Because of the lag (and also the switching servers as Q explained previously), the switch happens but not fast enough. I'm not computer savy, but it seems that in the microseconds this could have all happened, some people's computers got the message fast and they hop into the queue. Others didn't get the message fast enough and they saw people already in the room with the "tickets" requirement still on.

Didn't this all correct itself in a matter of a minute or two? Phinny could not have run ticket holders through her yard sale that fast before everybody else was granted access. I know for sure my lag last night was about 15 seconds for room switches.

I don't know what special control features staff have, but if Phinny had used "ticketed guests" to keep people out until she had her room ready, the better choice would have been to use the admit only "myself" option.

[peasy]

If anyone actually paid any attention they would have seen the line fluctuate very rapidly. I doubt 70 people were issued tickets and as some of you are trying to suggest that Fin intentionally only wanted to give VIP treatment to some, all she had to do was set to friends only and the room wouldnt even appear in the search box.

So stop the bellyaching and childish speculation. I entered the room at 2 minutes past, and had no ticket. I was the 6th person in, and to prove this, Someone asked fin whether they could get her pins, she said no pins for sale.

Enough people, some of you read too much into things:rolleyes1


Actually a lot of us paid quit a bit of attention, as you can see we are now discussing our individual experiences in the 1 or 2 minutes that the events unfolded. Discussion of events and experiences are what this board was created for.

[peasy]

Very true Lauralee...and that seems like the most logical explination to all of what happened. I would imagine it won't happen again like that! :)

[Goofy05]

Actually a lot of us paid quit a bit of attention, as you can see we are now discussing our individual experiences in the 1 or 2 minutes that the events unfolded. Discussion of events and experiences are what this board was created for.

This is true, however the beginning of this thread focused on bashing Phinny. That's where the problem is. If everyone would have CALMLY discussed the problems with the host game from the start, maybe Phinny wouldn't have to read this thread and feel as though she was the most hated host in vmk.


Everyone who was able to enter the queue should count themselves lucky and stop complaining. Period. I never entered the queue, as it was well over 600 already. Not much point in trying, yet so many still do, then complain later that the room was closed. Common sense goes a long ways. I wish more people would use it.

One more thing...for what it's worth...the rare items in her room are no longer all that rare. Wait a month and trade for that red crate or yellow toy soldier. I bet you'll see them popping up on the trade forums soon.
:thumbsup2

[cteddiesgirl]

Peasy, there's also another option for the rooms: Myself. So, can't you only have the room open to yourself without allowing tickets or friends in as well? Unless I"m confused, I'm thinking that is how it works.

Yes. You can have a room that is marked only for yourself. But, as I have found out, it stays white in your room list. It changes to yellow if it's marked for yourself and ticketed people only and purple if you have it checked for ticketed friends only.
I'm also sure that Hosts have many rooms just like we do. So, maybe as a way to see the room faster in her list and as a way to keep people out while she's setting up, she marked it to tickets only.

And there was a lag last night. All day actually. So, It could have taken a couple moments for the room title to change in the list.

[GoofyGeggy]

One more thing...for what it's worth...the rare items in her room are no longer all that rare. Wait a month and trade for that red crate or yellow toy soldier. I bet you'll see them popping up on the trade forums soon.
:thumbsup2

I agree with your common sense remarks, completely!

The good news is that only about 200 people were given an opportunity to trade for those rare items (I know because I entered the queue at about 180, just after the room opened). I also know that not everyone went for the rarest of items - I'm sure a lot did, but there were plenty of rare items to choose from. Yes, there are certainly more Red Crates on the market now, but October didn't seem to stifle the demand/value of the Candy Cauldron. Just a thought...

[peasy]

Goofy05/CL_GreenieMimi - I never said that I agreed with bashing Fin - I was replying to a post that called this discussion childish and asked us to quit posting. I agree that bashing Fin is out of line and pre-mature, because no one knows for sure what happened. Hope that clears up my post :)

[qruthie]

I would just like an official explination as to what happened. Thats all.

I would like an official explanation too, at least to clear up the rumors about whether or not tickets were actually used.

Beyond that, I don't think they will have much of an explanation because they probably don't know exactly what happened. From my programming experience, these problems are very hard to diagnose and often can't be fixed once the problem is determined. I wouldn't be surprised to find this problem can't be fixed at all but can be mitigated by having more and faster servers - short answer, more hardware.

I fully expect this problem to happen again. I choose to accept that as a shortcoming of the new way of managing lines for entering rooms.

Here's my view on what might have happened: VMK was, in general, lagging. Let's say Phinny was getting her room ready, so she didn't want anybody in there yet. She clicks "tickets" (but nobody has tickets!) to keep people out. People have been searching for her room, so it shows up as "ticketed guests" only. People start getting steamed and hurt. Phinny then switches room to "everybody." Because of the lag (and also the switching servers as Q explained previously), the switch happens but not fast enough. I'm not computer savy, but it seems that in the microseconds this could have all happened, some people's computers got the message fast and they hop into the queue. Others didn't get the message fast enough and they saw people already in the room with the "tickets" requirement still on.

Yes, VMK was lagging last night and you have given us a good and easy to understand explanation of what probably happened.

Yes. You can have a room that is marked only for yourself. But, as I have found out, it stays white in your room list. It changes to yellow if it's marked for yourself and ticketed people only and purple if you have it checked for ticketed friends only.
I'm also sure that Hosts have many rooms just like we do. So, maybe as a way to see the room faster in her list and as a way to keep people out while she's setting up, she marked it to tickets only.

cteddiesgirl, I bet you are 100% correct! I hope they change the "myself" option to a different color. In the meantime, I like your solution of using "myself" and "ticketed"! I'm off to change my rooms yet again...