Discussing Yavn's Newsletter - Reward program and more pins!

[milkabum]

I was going to send something into VMk when I noticed two new features to go along with the newsletter: "Dear Yeti.." and "Push's Trash Trivia". I was curious, so I clicked "Push's Trash Trivia", and I found that they'll choose 3 people who got the correct answer and give them a pin! As for the "Dear Yeti..", I'll leave my mind to wander for that one!

More pins? I was just wondering about this last night! I'm glad to have more room for my pins, but I wonder what to fill 15 spots with! Magic of course, some haunted mansion, and of course my Encchanted Tiki Room pin (my favourite colour, and um.. hello? Hula!).

I think the gold star reward program will be a great way to get other players into helping each other. However, it reminds me of when I was in grade one and we had little star stickers given to us when we behaved well. Ah!

The new trading system will help scamming, by us being able to see the stars on a magic pin.

I'm super excited about the Halloween quest, I have actually finished my own and I'm ready to release it in October. Speaking of October, it's almost a year since Tomorrowland opened! I guess Autumn is Yavn's generous season. With all this, I add to my conclusion that staff aren't some 'uld hags' who take the fun out of everything and don't care. They do the exact opposite. By sending a message back to us when we report something, is one sign. it's their job to keep VMK safe, and you may not like some rules but you don't have to play the game. The right way or the highway.

SO.. what are your opinions?

 

[jasonpwns]

Woot I love the reward system I give and help people but I don't feel I get enough Thanks Back some people don't even say thanks when I help them so this is a cool idea.!

 

[dancergirlsasha]

I think the awards program is a very good idea! Although no where as close to as generous as some people, I try my best to help out. I totally see where you are coming from with the green sticker thing.. I had that when i was younger and that was the first thing I thought of when I read the newsletter.
As for the mule thing, I am a bit nervous. I don't think I have more than 50 though. I also feel a bit bad for using quest spoilers now, also.

 

[disvaclub92]

The reward idea is great, but yet again if your list is full how can we help those new players. I wish something can be done. I like helping players around the park, just hard when your friends list is full.

 

[PrincessJen09]

This is a little off topic, but how do you know when your friends list is full?

Also, you could always help in ways that do not require you to make the person a friend, such as helping them learn a new game. But I understand it would be hard to much if you have a full friend list.

Also, I like this idea of a reward system, but I feel that it may make people help each other for the wrong reasons (pessimistic, I know).

 

[dancergirlsasha]

This is a little off topic, but how do you know when your friends list is full?

What happens is you get a friend request, you press accept, and basically you get a request from the same person over and over, and until you delete someone else, the new person won't go on your list.

 

[PrincessJen09]

What happens is you get a friend request, you press accept, and basically you get a request from the same person over and over, and until you delete someone else, the new person won't go on your list.

Oh. That has happened to me before, but I never knew why. Thanks!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

I am going to actually discuss what Yavn said in his newsletter that royally annoyed me.

Many of the things that Yavn hated go hand in hand with stuff VMK does.

1. The Code Generators: these would not have been created if the Sparrow suit was so darn hard to get. I am proud to say that I used a Code Generator, but I did not obtain a Sparrow Suit. Everyone was excited for the Sparrow suit before it was released, so why would they do this to us and make it impossible to get one? Creating a Code Generator is a different story: that is hacking and is very bad. But, using a Code Generator is the same thing as the Organ Cheat, it just shaves off a whole minute from that trick. It doesn't guarantee you a special prize, it is just a regular old POTC code: you'll most likely get a DMC, an Organ, a Monkey, or the dreaded poster. You can shut down the website, but banning certain objects from trades is a little too extreme.

2. The Quest Walkthroughs: These go hand in hand also. It is a never ending cycle. (a). The players make walkthroughs for the Quests. (b). VMK has to make harder mini-game requirements. (c). The players have to depend on walkthroughs in order answer questions right (as opposed to having to beat that Fireworks score again if they miss the answer). (d). Rinse and Repeat.

I am a big fan of you Yavn and the intense work you have put into this game, but sometimes you have to use the carrot as opposed to the stick to make people learn. For instance, creating another pirate suit will most likely eliminate the use of Code Generators for the POTC game.

 

[Goofy05]

There were a lot of things Yavn said that I disagreed with, but I'll keep this on track with the reward system of gold stars. Not a great idea. Why? How many of us will never see a staff member in the game? I would guess most players. I still meet players who have never seen a member of staff. Never. So, those players would never have an opportunity to earn a gold star. This might work in a classroom setting, where teachers see the same students every day, but on a game where some players only get to play on weekends and only for limited amounts of time, it's just not fair. Those players could be the most helpful players in all of vmk for all we know.

 

[KrazyPete]

I just got home where I can respond to this

Wow, Yavn had a little hissy fit!!! Here are my first impressions.

1) Cheaters, get after'em! Bugs, fix'em when you find'em! But I don't really know how I feel about using a known bug while it's there. It's sort of like the computer security scene. If you find a hole you notify the software developer. If they don't fix it then you publish the existence of the exploit. That forces the developer to deal with the problem. And, for instance, is hitting the button after completing the Pirates II game to jump back to just before the organ a "bug?" It seems to be the way the thing was designed to operate. Furthermore, a simple url link takes you to basically the same point in the game anyway. If that's the kind of thing Yvan has his panties in a wad over then I would suggest he file his complaint with the programming team.

Code generators aren't bugs. That's just plain old cheating. Ban'em all!!!

2) I use the quest answers posted here on the Dis. I do try to do the quest tasks myself first though. But when they have questions like "what was the license plate number on the taxi that some secondary character got into in some live action sequel?" What am I supposed to do, go rent it? I probably have a couple hundred Disney tapes and DVDs. I love movie trivia. I don't enjoy spending any time trying to track down insignificant minutia. I also don't enjoy doing the same three tasks over and over until I guess right on a multiple choice task. So there's my little quest rant. Oh and I don't mind the mini-game requirements. Ok, that's not entirely true. I hate the Jungle Cruise.

3) Obviously Yvan has a different definition for "mule" than I do. I know some people have dozens of characters they created for one use. That's kind of pointless since the credits got bumped up in all the mini-games. Does anyone actually do that anymore? I have four accounts. My main, A born-in-park that a DISer made for me, A girl for the costumes, and one that I hide out on when I'm just working on credits or a quest (I love you all but sometimes I need my space). Then there is one for each of my kids. I thought I was muling but Yvan says I just have a few extra accounts. Sweet!

4) I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand I don't like cheaters. On the other hand, I don't like snitches. I'm so conflicted right now.

5) Well, duh! I guess it needed to be said though.

Wrap up) I have to agree this one feels like first grade. I hope they have some undercover hosts to award those pins. I can see it now; everytime a host walks into a room everyone is falling all over each other to "Help" the nearest player with "Guest" and a number in his name. That being said... I hope I get a pin. I might have to make a mule named "Guest48756901" and have him follow me around all the time just in case.

Do you the think the goody-goody-two-shoes pin will be tradable?

15 pins would make me happier. Some kind of display case furniture (like a photo album for pins) would make me happy.

Final Note: If the next Quest has a "score 30,000 on the Jungle Cruise" task you will know that Yavn hates me. Dude, I was just kidding about the "Guest" mule!!!

 

[cat_herder]

There were a lot of things Yavn said that I disagreed with, but I'll keep this on track with the reward system of gold stars. Not a great idea. Why? How many of us will never see a staff member in the game? I would guess most players. I still meet players who have never seen a member of staff. Never. So, those players would never have an opportunity to earn a gold star. This might work in a classroom setting, where teachers see the same students every day, but on a game where some players only get to play on weekends and only for limited amounts of time, it's just not fair. Those players could be the most helpful players in all of vmk for all we know.

I agree. I actually like helping players in the game, and have been know to stop in my quest to help others before completing my own quest. I don't need an award for helping. It is one of the reasons I have never even tried for a CL title. I don't need it to help other people.


Dianne

 

[Laurabearz]

The only way I could see this working is if they have undercover peeps watching. Hosts entering any room causes too much disruption for them to tell who is helping who....

 

[BriarRosie]

I just thought of another "cause and effect" the Gold Star program may or
may not create. Many of the posts rightly state that there will be feelings
of resentment or favoritism. The cynic in me says it's probable.

But there's a tiny smidgen that thinks that the Gold Star program is being
bandied about to stop the blatantly rude players from ruining the game for
newbies. If players are clamoring to earn their "Gold Stars", then they might
stop being nasty in the Kingdom.

One can only hope.

If that was a goal for Yavn's team.....bravo. I'm finding myself less and
less tolerant of rudeness in VMK. To the point that I speak my mind
to tell the bullies to "back off". And I don't sugar-coat it, either.

 

[Belle1997]

Well I found the idea of gold star program good and bad. Good it may work at curbing some of the rude behavior bad because some of the always nice players will never get acknowledge and there will be lots of hurt players.

I really enjoy VMK but I know I would to be one of those players that never gets acknowledge because one I never expect to and I randomly give gifts to new players and I do not think they would know about the gold star program when they first join.

What about the players that go out of there way to make a quest that even little kids or people new to VMK can play. That when finished it guarantees they get a prize. That to me that is real kindess and not many do this.

Will that be acknowledge or will it just be a popularity contest and whoever has the most friends to report good deeds will win.


Just wondering

 

[milkabum]

There also is another part to the reward program that I don't like. People will always be sucking up and not being themselves. There will be competition and favouritism rather than fun and games..

 

[disvaclub92]

Unfortunately, I feel the reward system will show favoritism. I know some great kids on VMK that really deserve an award for their generosity, kindness and caring. Will they get an award? It depends.

I honestly think that we should be the ones to have the ability to nominate a person. Then they can go determine if the actions of that person are rewarding of the efforts from that persons chat. That way we the players get to participate in sharing the generosity that we see, not just what the staff ch ses. Albiet favoritism can show here, but your chat review will really demonstrate those actions and show if it should be rewarded.

 

[cat_herder]

I just thought of another "cause and effect" the Gold Star program may or
may not create. Many of the posts rightly state that there will be feelings
of resentment or favoritism. The cynic in me says it's probable.

But there's a tiny smidgen that thinks that the Gold Star program is being
bandied about to stop the blatantly rude players from ruining the game for
newbies. If players are clamoring to earn their "Gold Stars", then they might
stop being nasty in the Kingdom.

One can only hope.

If that was a goal for Yavn's team.....bravo. I'm finding myself less and
less tolerant of rudeness in VMK. To the point that I speak my mind
to tell the bullies to "back off". And I don't sugar-coat it, either.

One of the things I find pointless, "please report bad behavior". Why?
When you do report bad behavior, you get this snarky little message back to "ignore them" or "please don't use this button for that".

 

[JulyGirl]

I also feel a bit bad for using quest spoilers now, also.

I don't! How can the "target" age group (8-14) finish a TRON quest? Who the heck knows anything about Tron??

 

[BriarRosie]

One of the things I find pointless, "please report bad behavior". Why?
When you do report bad behavior, you get this snarky little message back to "ignore them" or "please don't use this button for that".

I actually did report bad behavior not too long ago. Racial garbage, actually.
That's the sort of thing I'm sure VMK would not find trivial. I didn't get
a pop up acknowledging my report, nor a "Please use the ignore" button
post. I do think they did get it and reviewed the situation I reported.
That's all we can do.

The only other times I've reported were for players impersonating staff or
blatantly sexual room titles.

 

[dancergirlsasha]

I don't! How can the "target" age group (8-14) finish a TRON quest? Who the heck knows anything about Tron??

I guess your right. I think my conscious just told me I should feel bad, and I went with it.