*GRR* Interpretation of the "official" rules

[Mcbain]

I was able to trade a Fantasyland Castle Retro Pin for a PeopleMover Retro pin with VMK_Mocha. She seemed pretty cool about it, accepting the trade even before I accepted it (I could have given her a "lower" pin, but I didn't feel like getting booted).

If you're using a high speed internet connection such as cable or dsl, and you're using a router for multiple computers, all the computers will share the "external" IP address. Each system will have a unique "internal" IP address, but to VMK staff, it will appear as though you're using the same machine. If you try using something to hide your IP address, you may run into issues if they have certain IP addresses blocked.

 

[blizzard]

Same thing happened to me yesterday. I offered her a pin that is buyable and she said "is that all" or something like that. I switched to a different pin.

Now I relize that I traded her my only tomorrowland 8/9 pin. Great. I was so frustrated. After a day of crashing everytime I tried to do anything, I was so excited to make it to her, and didn't relize what I did. Oh well, it's my fault. I didn't even get what I wanted either. I wanted a lion pin, but she was out.

If that's the orange pin, I will trade it to you. I have 2 now since I went through the line for a spare. Maybe I got yours! PM me or catch me on VMK.

 

[pixiepal53]

Don't even get me started about VMK_Mocha! I waited 10 or so minutes to get into her room (that said NOTHING about being closed, BTW--this will make sense later). Finally got in...there was no order in the room at all. Two lines, one blocked off (which she seemed to be working on first), and one I could get to, so I got in that line (there were about 8 people in front of me).

As soon as I got there into the room, she said that she had been there for six hours, and was working an hour longer than she was supposed to, and that she was hungry and wanted to eat. Nothing else was said by her, except to tell someone who was asking for the lion pin that she was out of lions. (And to say "ty" or "yw" to the folks as she traded with them). I continued to wait for about 15 minutes in the line, and right as she got to the last person in the line she was working on, she said "I told you people I was closed"...and then left! No goodbye, no nothing.

I checked the info on the room again, to see if I had missed it saying closed, and it didn't. Had she no intention of trading with us, the second line of people (about 12 deep by now), why didn't she just say "I am trading with this line, and after that, I am done." That was all she had to say! This was in the thick of the event, also. Maybe she had said something to the people who were their prior to my getting into the room (about 15 minutes before), but no one said anything after she had left.

I understand that the cast members put a lot of time into these events, but Jeez!! A little common courtesy would be appreciated. I just feel bad for the people in front of me who had been there for a LONG time. I had only invested maybe a half hour into it, but others had been there for a while.

 

[AZCat]

8/9 is the orange Tomorrowland pin. That's the one that I traded VMK_Mochoa for the one time I made it through the line. I was kind of thrown when she said the pin I was trading needed to be of equal value. She suggested other Retro's and the Toucan. I went for the Toucan knowing that it cost much less than the others. My question is does anyone remember how much the Tomorrowland /8/9) pin sold for when it was available?

Aeryn - if your friend needs a retro flying saucer pin, I have 1 that they can have. Just let me know.

 

[GBShorts]

8/9 is the orange Tomorrowland pin. That's the one that I traded VMK_Mochoa for the one time I made it through the line. I was kind of thrown when she said the pin I was trading needed to be of equal value. She suggested other Retro's and the Toucan. I went for the Toucan knowing that it cost much less than the others. My question is does anyone remember how much the Tomorrowland /8/9) pin sold for when it was available?

Aeryn - if your friend needs a retro flying saucer pin, I have 1 that they can have. Just let me know.

8/9 Tomorrowland was available during the 50th celebration, same time as the sub pin.

Oh wait, you didn't ask when, you asked how much. I want to say 250? I seem to remember it being same as sub...the next one was 500 and the last 3 were 1000. Anybody else remember?

 

[pixiepal53]

8/9 Tomorrowland was available during the 50th celebration, same time as the sub pin.

Oh wait, you didn't ask when, you asked how much. I want to say 250? I seem to remember it being same as sub...the next one was 500 and the last 3 were 1000. Anybody else remember?

I am pretty sure it was 250 also.

 

[ferriz]

Don't even get me started about VMK_Mocha! I waited 10 or so minutes to get into her room (that said NOTHING about being closed, BTW--this will make sense later). Finally got in...there was no order in the room at all. Two lines, one blocked off (which she seemed to be working on first), and one I could get to, so I got in that line (there were about 8 people in front of me).

As soon as I got there into the room, she said that she had been there for six hours, and was working an hour longer than she was supposed to, and that she was hungry and wanted to eat. Nothing else was said by her, except to tell someone who was asking for the lion pin that she was out of lions. (And to say "ty" or "yw" to the folks as she traded with them). I continued to wait for about 15 minutes in the line, and right as she got to the last person in the line she was working on, she said "I told you people I was closed"...and then left! No goodbye, no nothing.

I checked the info on the room again, to see if I had missed it saying closed, and it didn't. Had she no intention of trading with us, the second line of people (about 12 deep by now), why didn't she just say "I am trading with this line, and after that, I am done." That was all she had to say! This was in the thick of the event, also. Maybe she had said something to the people who were their prior to my getting into the room (about 15 minutes before), but no one said anything after she had left.

I understand that the cast members put a lot of time into these events, but Jeez!! A little common courtesy would be appreciated. I just feel bad for the people in front of me who had been there for a LONG time. I had only invested maybe a half hour into it, but others had been there for a while.

i was in there at the time. i was in the actual line.

part of me was a bit annoyed early on because she had this fence up that appeared no one could get around so we ALL thought it was already closed off. aparently you could still get through because i finally clicked around the fence and got in. i had tried once before like 5 minutes before but i guess someone was blocking the gate. we were like "are you letting anyone else in? please let us in.......is it blocked off? if its not why cant we get through!!" and no answer.........

this one member who had been there before me couldnt for the life of themselves make it around the fence. i guess people had this person blocked in. they kept saying to please let them in because they were stuck, or for her to trade with them because they had been in there about 10 mins longer than the rest of us but vmk_mocha didnt say a work. 2 of us tried to tell her that person had been there longer but she just didnt answer. im not sure if that person ever got to trade!

then vmk_mocha got kicked from the room. eventually she came back and then closed off the line by moving the hippo pools. she mentioned that she was closing soon and hadnt eaten in a long time.

thats when she made the mistake of moving the fence, causing all people outside of the line but in the room to start their own line. they went up to vmk_mocha and formed the line you were in. they made it so no one who had just traded could move or get out. they were asked to move out of the way but didnt........after i traded i tried to teleport but it wouldnt let me so i just clicked the globe button to get out.

i do think she should have changed the title to closed, and i do think that when people were asking she should have answered.....because she caused me a big headache just trying to figure out how to get in line when she wouldnt answer us but was answering other people.........

but i also think you should blame whoever the first couple people who formed the 2nd line who:

1.didnt listen when she said she was closing soon.
2.were in the room but didnt realize she blocked off the line and said she was hungry and leaving soon for a reason.
3.decided that if they formed their own line they could "cut" or not be forced to wait in the already established line.

and no, im not saying you are one of the people to blame. you obviously entered the room after the 2nd line was formed, most likely when the first line was almost gone. there was no way for you to know what happened. just thought you might want to know........

 

[LisaInNc]

I can do one better. I waited too hours in a dis room Friday morning. VMK Phinney came in stayed for less than 2 minutes traded with 2 people and said to find her in her room later for more trading.

I waited about 40 minutes to get in her room (I read a book while I waited). I got in and she had the room blocked but was there trading. She was asked if it was closed and she said no. I waited another 15 minutes to get in to the room. She made 2 trades from my group and then said she only had a few minutes and was trading people for FIREWORKS! That is right she only traded with people that was giving her a fireworks pin.

VMK Babs seemed to be really nice. I waited a long time to get to her and then crashed in her chair. Last night I got to her and she asked if we had traded and I told her I crashed yesterday and she gave me 2 pins. I was shocked.

I felt the event was frustrating for more people. These hosts know how long people wait and since they have a record of everything how about their doing something for the people that wait a long time and crash during their trade. That happened to a lot of people.

One inteesting side note. While I was waiting for Mocha several people said that they crashed during their trades. She let them trade with her but one gilr was not telling the truth, she checked and boted her for lying, Mocha was fiesty and went on a little rant about being able to see eveything we do.

 

[The Wolf]

So I guess we could say yet another successful and well organised event.

Picture the scene: VMK Staff Meeting Room a couple of weeks ago.

1st Person: "The last few events have been a shambles, nobody's rooms got judged, staff were impossible to find and seemed angry and not happy to be giving prizes when found, so how can we solve it folks?"

2nd Person: "I know let's base one around pin trading, when we only have a small amount of pins available that surely everyone has at least one of each already"

1st Person: "But don't we currently have a trading bug causing problems in the rooms?"

2nd Person: "You know that's genius! Let's hide the staff in the rooms."

1st Person: "But won't that mean everyone will spend all weekend in queues to get into rooms where staff may not be present and unable to trade even if they are?"

2nd Person: Brilliant! I like the way you are thinking. Let's make it even more fun by their friends not being able to even send them messages while they queue so those that have found out what a waste of time it all is can't warn their friends so they can all get on and enjoy the weekend"

1st Person: OK I agree, but what do we do with all these virtual pins that we create here?

2nd Person: "Simple! When the staff get bored they can just say we run out."

1st Person: "But surely that's impossible when we make the pins here?"

2nd Person: "Quiet you or we won't let you work the next event, "The find a working room and actually find a staff member when we've given them the weekend off weekend""

1st Person: "Sorry, you're right I'll be quiet we wouldn't want to learn from our previous mistakes would we?"


I don't know about you lot but that pretty much sums up the weekend for me.

Yes I am grateful for the new stuff that we get at celebrations but I would hazard a guess more people left this weekend feeling disgruntled than happy.

One day they will learn...

 

[SeaSpray]

my friend has a guy account with a very similar name........but he logs in on my dads computer all the time. i hope they dont think im scamming them, he has mule accounts.

i applied for CL......i hope this doesnt affect my chances.

Just want to let you know that my DH and I became Community Leaders last week and we are on the same router/IP address, so apparently they won't hold that against you. We are a family of 4, each of us has our own computers, plus DH (capecad) has 2 additional computers in his office that he uses for work. Good luck with your CL application

 

[bevgray]

My guess is that if the lion is for sale it will be at the end of the Adventureland set. Hope so since I did not have a chance to track down staff while guest room "occupancy boosting" during the event.

One thing I would remind everyone, VMK staff are not strictly Disney Cast Members so may not have a clear understanding of pin rules. Indeed, the same rules may not apply. I have been "real world" pin collecting from the first frenzy during the Millenium celebration and it took some time for the Cast Members to get things right. The first "events" were truely horrific (who remembers sitting outside Magic Kingdom OVERNIGHT to get a chance at a limited edition pin of 1000) or the mass "cattle runs" at some early releases. Even now, if you read over on the collectors' board, you will hear of incidents where Cast Members "did not follow the rules" or other guests behaved badly.

VMK is still very much in its infancy. There has been a lot of improvement between each event. The VMK staff are still learning too so let's try to be patient and help them with suggestions and ideas. It can't be pleasant to be under attack from a horde of "eager" little VMK avatars. As a community leader, I've had a tiny taste of that myself when I go into a public room and am beseiged with the "give me your hat", "you have to trade me magic pin" or just trying to keep the questions straight and answered so you don't overlook the little princess standing under the spell sign and her question that just floated off the screen. It is sometimes very difficult to address each guest and some just keep clamouring for more even when you do help them. It is fun and I am very happy to help but the staff are under far greater pressure and numbers.

We're all still growing in this game. I think a lot of good came out of this event. If you have ideas to improve it, such as clearer pin trading guidelines for staff and guests during an event, please use the contact button to email them. I think they do have time to read these emails now and will probably welcome reasonable recommendations.

 

[Cricket2]

So I guess we could say yet another successful and well organised event.

Picture the scene: VMK Staff Meeting Room a couple of weeks ago.

1st Person: "The last few events have been a shambles, nobody's rooms got judged, staff were impossible to find and seemed angry and not happy to be giving prizes when found, so how can we solve it folks?"

2nd Person: "I know let's base one around pin trading, when we only have a small ammount of pins available that surely everyone has at least one of each already"

1st Person: "But don't we currently have a trading bug causing problems in the rooms?"

2nd Person: "You know that's genius! Let's hide the staff in the rooms."

1st Person: "But won't that mean everyone will spend all weekend in queues to get into rooms where staff may not be present and unable to trade even if they are?"

2nd Person: Brilliant! I like the way you are thinking. Let's make it even more fun by their friends not being able to even send them messages while they queue so those that have found out what a waste of time it all is can't warn their friends so they can all get on and enjoy the weekend"

1st Person: OK I agree, but what do we do with all these virtual pins that we create here?

2nd Person: "Simple! When the staff get bored they can just say we run out."

1st Person: "But surely that's impossible when we make the pins here?"

2nd Person: "Quiet you or we won't let you work the next event, "The find a working room and actually find a staff member when we've given them the weekend off weekend""

1st Person: "Sorry, you're right I'll be quiet we wouldn't want to learn from our previous mistakes would we?"


I don't know about you lot but that pretty much sums up the weekend for me.

Yes I am grateful for the new stuff that we get at celebrations but I would hazard a guess more people left this weekend feeling disgruntled than happy.

One day they will learn...

I was just about to post on the sad state of some of the VMK staff and the VMK sim in general, but you did a fine job without me

 

[tigressjewel]

A very fine job indeed! I really could not believe that they had the guts to say they "ran out". On one hand, it is fun collecting these virtual things, but on the other hand we have young ones (ok, moms too) who are taking this very very seriously and others trying to take advantage because someone is desperate for a particular pin or item. I had the same kind of experience as many. Got in a room right when the goofy hat came off. Then got in a room, waited in line, then crashed when next in line. Third try again, got in the room and off comes the hat. Oh well. I had saved up credits so I was able to get two of most of the new items. I've decided that I'm going to look for players with very good attitudes and who are new to just give some good stuff away to. Its either that or purchase a virtual storage unit, lol. Happy VMK!

 

[The Wolf]

Just wanted to say welcome to the boards Tigress, don't forget to add your VMK name to the list at the top of the board.

As far as events go I would quite willingly vent about what they are doing wrong, but at the end of the day it is becoming plainly obvious they are not learning (judging times being the exception this time) from previous mistakes.

I also hear a lot of people saying "well it must be hard for the staff having to put up with trading/dealing with VMK players for hours" (BTW I am not attacking any members here it is just being used as an example).

The only thing I can say in answer to that is: Well at the end of the day they are being paid for it and I am sure many here would happily put up with it.

This is not meant as an attack in any way and I hope anyone involved with VMK who reads this does not take it as so, it is merely a prod to make them see there is something wrong with the system and no amount of "it's free, stop moaning", "they are trying their best" or "they are learning" is going to stop the whole thing from ending up as a something of a ghost town when players finally find the straw that breaks their particular camel's back.

Please feel free to comment as I feel this is a discussion that is too often swept under the carpet or turned into an attack on poster's views (as I have witnessed elsewhere).

Hey, if we don't point out what's wrong how are they going to fix it?

To the OP I am sorry if this has hijacked your thread, I did feel it was in the same subject area.

OK Moan over, nothing to see here, move along.

 

[Maleficent2]

1st Person: "1st Person: "The last few events have been a shambles, nobody's rooms got judged, staff were impossible to find and seemed angry and not happy to be giving prizes when found, so how can we solve it folks?"

2nd Person: "I know let's base one around pin trading, when we only have a small ammount of pins available that surely everyone has at least one of each already"

1st Person: "But don't we currently have a trading bug causing problems in the rooms?"

2nd Person: "You know that's genius! Let's hide the staff in the rooms."

1st Person: "But won't that mean everyone will spend all weekend in queues to get into rooms where staff may not be present and unable to trade even if they are?"

2nd Person: Brilliant! I like the way you are thinking. Let's make it even more fun by their friends not being able to even send them messages while they queue so those that have found out what a waste of time it all is can't warn their friends so they can all get on and enjoy the weekend"

1st Person: OK I agree, but what do we do with all these virtual pins that we create here?

2nd Person: "Simple! When the staff get bored they can just say we run out."

1st Person: "But surely that's impossible when we make the pins here?"

2nd Person: "Quiet you or we won't let you work the next event, "The find a working room and actually find a staff member when we've given them the weekend off weekend""

1st Person: "Sorry, you're right I'll be quiet we wouldn't want to learn from our previous mistakes would we?"

Oh and let's not forget the Wait to play JC to earn credits so we could buy a few of the things offered this week-end

Well at the end of the day they are being paid for it and I am sure many here would happily put up with it.

Here Here that is exactly what I have been saying all along. It has also been 3 months and now 3 events under their belt. And while I did see alittle Disney Magic in this event there should be alot more.

Overall though I think this event was much better than the last two but not because of VMK staff but because of the VMKers(DISers) that helped with members getting their room judged. At least this time I did not wait in my room for 4 hours or wait was it 5 and never got judged and NEVER get the "I'm sorry prize". At least my room was judged as was my DS who was SO EXCITED just to be judged! We may not and probably will not win anything but at least we were given a fair chance this time. This event was alot more fun because of the Great peeps that make up this forum! :thewave:

Mal

 

[aeryn]

Nah, you didn't hijack the thread, it's all in the same vein.

I've run online games for a dozen years, it *does* take up time. If you know you are short handed staff-wise, you *plan* for those breaks. She/he hadn't eaten in hours? Well, then you schedule events for shorter time periods or you bring in meals for them (if they're at a central location.) There *are* ways to do this properly and I agree, they don't seem to be learning from their mistakes.

The company running this game has run online games as well. They should be well aware of the care and feeding a game this size requires. They should be well aware, at least by now if not earlier, that the Disney name is going to mean a higher level of satisfaction. They should have more than enough capacity to handle the traffic on an event weekend. This isn't an amateur group running a game just for fun, they are, in theory, professionals who do this for a living and are getting paid.

I can only make so many excuses for the ineptitude that has been shown.

 

[LisaInNc]

My guess is they ran out of pins because they were going to give out a certian number a day. What makes us want them is they are rare. If they give out an unlimited amount it makes them less rare and less valuable. To strike a balance they probably decided to trade a certiam number a day.

 

[The Wolf]

I can quite understand this and agree totally if they had been stated as rare.

I think what made many angry was this was not what was being said all they were being told was "sorry run out".

If they had said they were only going to give out so many a day then people would have been a lot happier to know the ground rules from the start.

 

[Califgirl]

Well, in my opinion they could have had an unlimited supply of pins and they would still be considered rare. If everyone in everyline got one, there would still be the majority of VMKers who would not stand in line, or who could not even get into a VMKs staff room to have the opportunity to get one. I only intereracted with one staff member at the end of the event (well of course they were out of lions, but I did get a toucan for the quest pin of Fantasyland Castle)

I enjoyed this event because I met a lot of great dis'ers. I'm usually pounding away at the rocks in the jungle cruise and don't take much time to socialize. Shame on me, I enjoyed talking with you all.

I didn't enjoy the frustration of the event, and I don't mean just not being able to trade with staff. One CL had a bunch of Disneyland pins and I really wanted one. I figured he had so many out, so he would be willing to trade. I tried to trade for one with the Quest pins, Fantasyland Castle or Adventureland Retro, and when i put those pins up he put up two or three of the same pin on his side. Totally mocking me. I asked him what he wanted for a Disneyland pin and he said magic or something really rare. What is rare when he has duplicates of everything? That incident put a bad taste in my mouth, and it was too bad he was a CL cause that kind of things gives CL a bad name, even though I heart all the CL's I know from here. I saw him in a lot of staff rooms, he's probably one that has multiple lion pins too.

 

[MaliaMichelle]

If that's the orange pin, I will trade it to you. I have 2 now since I went through the line for a spare. Maybe I got yours! PM me or catch me on VMK.

Oh that would be so wonderful. I have been kicking myself for doing that.