I think some of us owe Yavn an apology...

[tigressjewel]

I have a few questions. Yavn is allowed to have a site even though in VMK we would be banned for mentioning that? How did people find out about it? If he had such a problem with it, shouldn't he have posted it on VMK.com? I think it is a little odd that he chose to post it on a PERSONAL site over the official one.

I've never been around Yavn more than a handful of times, but I would be very surprised if he was mentioning his personal site IN vmk since that is of course against VMK values. As far as people finding out about it, I know the link was posted here and I assume it was probably posted on other fan sites. I can't see him posting his feelings about it on vmk newsletter as I believe his PERSONAL blog is just that, personal, not an official VMK site.

I think part of the trouble is that all of us, Yavn and VMK staff included, tend to forget that many of the players really are from the target market group (8-14) and lack patience and, let's be honest, basic manners in many cases. This translates often into frustration when new things are not brought out "right now" with the accompanying temper tantrums. It also means that a lot of the players have no real conception of the need to balance development time, marketing, and legal issues. While more mature players can just shrug with an "oh well, that is cool and will come out when it comes out" younger players just get upset when they are told one thing and it does not happen. Remember, if you read something in print, that makes it so. It doesn't always, of course, but that is the perception. Just look how difficult it is for the news media to retract a story when new facts are uncovered.

This is exactly what I was thinking! I hope that Yavn will try to keep this in mind when receiving these negative emails or seeing the posts. On that note however I've seen a few adults post things that were chilidish and shocked me as well. I read the newsletter and I really enjoy all the information we've been able to get as opposed to a few months ago when we always just had to guess on things. I refer to it a lot in the game if I'm trying to help other players as a CL. I don't keep track of it word for word though so I would likely not notice if it said something will be announced next week than wasn't.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

as much as the "target group" is 8-14, Yavn does not run the game as if it is targetted at that group. Green car quest anyone? C'mon, the "target group" has changed and it is now 16+

 

[Maleficent2]

as much as the "target group" is 8-14, Yavn does not run the game as if it is targetted at that group. Green car quest anyone? C'mon, the "target group" has changed and it is now 16+

I am going to agree with you DOC I think the target group changed right after VMK went live and they saw the majority of the players were older.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

Im not saying that it is a bad thing nessecarily either, but I dont let my 9 year old play VMK any more

 

[VirtuallyMe]

Im not saying that it is a bad thing nessecarily either, but I dont let my 9 year old play VMK any more

I know my nine year old's play on the game is limited- to when I'm right here with her (or older sibling or her dad) and usually just to play in her rooms and get credits

I do know that when DIS people make an easy quest I usually get her on to play those too she likes that and can do the Blue Quests on Sundays if the computer isn't lagging too much

 

[mking624]

Sulake helped with coding but people like Yavn also created VMK in the sense of not code but designs, drawings, etc. The domain www.vmk.com has been registered since 1997. Don't take my word on it. Domain WHOIS them yourself. Yes some of the coding is similar but when you compare it to current day VMK with the tickets and stuff it seems way different. Think for example that I am Sulake. I created two websites. Both using PHP. Their coding would be the same in the sense that I used PHP but the actual site and how the coding was used and manipulated changes the outcome of what it looks like. If your comparing both because they both have 3d models and are MMORPGs then what do you call the thousands of other games that use 3d models and are MMORPGs?

A domain can be registered for years without it meaning that they've been working on it the entire time. Don't you think it could have been possible they had an idea for a "Virtual Magic Kingdom" that was completely unrelated to what it is today? Virtual doesn't have to equal game...it simply means its simulated. WHOIS has no bearing on how long something was actually worked on because you have no idea if the plans for that domain were the same for what they actually became. So be careful before you use a WHOIS and then make that your argument. People register things all the time to simply own the name and prevent someone else from owning it....and sometimes it isn't until much later that they say "hey, let's do something with this." How do I know? Because a domain I had expired and moments later a "not so family friendly" industry registered the domain (something quite common with the type of website I do in order to redirect people to something else). They wound up doing nothing with the domain and I was able to get it back. But it just goes to show you that just because someone owns a domain doesn't mean it's for what you think it's for. We have no idea what the intentions were back in 1997 other than your assumptions and they should be realized as just that...assumptions.

 

[FrontierNatasha]

Is the target group really 16+ now? Because I'm not even 16.

 

[pinkgalYall]

And also as a counterargument to mine: I think Yavn should remember who the game is meant for first. 8-14 year olds. How often do you see an 8 year old that doesn't not make a fit when he/she does not get what they want? Even 14 year olds are not that patient. Give them something extra for a few weeks and they'll take it for granted. Take it away and suddenly it's as if you commited murder. Can you say addicted? I think both sides need to calm down a bit. Yavn should be allowed his little rant as it was not on VMK.com but on his own personal blog and the VMKers rant because fore pete's sake THEIR CHILDREN!.

Hey i resent that, i am very patient thank you very much.

 

[StephenTXT99]

Im not saying that it is a bad thing nessecarily either, but I dont let my 9 year old play VMK any more

That's too bad because there is more to VMK than little 9 year old Amanda or Tyler getting a green car magic pin.

 

[PrincessJen09]

I've never been around Yavn more than a handful of times, but I would be very surprised if he was mentioning his personal site IN vmk since that is of course against VMK values. As far as people finding out about it, I know the link was posted here and I assume it was probably posted on other fan sites. I can't see him posting his feelings about it on vmk newsletter as I believe his PERSONAL blog is just that, personal, not an official VMK site.

I dont think that you read what I said.

I never claimed that he mentioned it. I want to know why he wrote this on a personal site and how do so many people know about it? Does he have to have a personal site just so that he can say whatever he wants? I think it is unprofessional for him to complain about customers (Because that is what people who play VMK are) on a personal site. Even thoughit is a personal site, too many of the customers know about it. He shouldn't be saying this stuff. This would never be tolerated in a Disney park.

 

[mtlhddoc2]

That's too bad because there is more to VMK than little 9 year old Amanda or Tyler getting a green car magic pin.

Thats not the point, or the reason, I do not let my son play. I do not let him play because I do not want him exposed to the greed, the sexuality, the jealousy, and the selfishness on VMK... and thats just the adults.

 

[tigressjewel]

I'm sure that most of the players are not 8-14 but I still think that bevgray's statement applies. Many of the players are 18 and younger, and I would guess (I don't know for sure) that the bad messages or posts that Yavn refers to were from younger players. Just my guess, as I said I really don't know. But I think he needs to keep in mind that he is dealing with many ages and maturity levels. That being said I'm sure its not fun to get negative feedback and be called a liar after working so hard to make VMK better no matter where its coming from.

 

[FrontierNatasha]

I'm not a mod, but I think this thread is turning into a fight.

 

[tigressjewel]

I dont think that you read what I said.

I never claimed that he mentioned it. I want to know why he wrote this on a personal site and how do so many people know about it? Does he have to have a personal site just so that he can say whatever he wants? I think it is unprofessional for him to complain about customers (Because that is what people who play VMK are) on a personal site. Even thoughit is a personal site, too many of the customers know about it. He shouldn't be saying this stuff. This would never be tolerated in a Disney park.

Yes, I did read what you said. My response was in the spirit of trying to be helpful though, not argumentative, I'm sorry if it seemed so. I have no idea why he chose to talk about his feelings of being called a liar on his personal site and not on vmk, but perhaps its for the reason you mention above, that he feels he should not be complaining about customers while "on the job." Unfortunately as we have all come to learn the rules that apply to CM's in the parks don't seem to apply to staff and others who run VMK. Not long ago in a newsletter (I can't recall the date) Yavn posted about being in sunny southern california. I thought that was outrageous and set a very bad example as its a blatant disregard for VMK values, but there it was. I also happen to think its a very bad idea to have a publicly accessesible blog for the very same reasons. Its promoting contact outside of VMK and we are told over and over again thats a bad thing. Even to the point of being warned in game for even mentioning DIS boards. Then staff members mention to players about things they have read or seen posted or even ask players to post messages for them! Bottom line is, there is a double standard.

 

[mking624]

Yes, I did read what you said. My response was in the spirit of trying to be helpful though, not argumentative, I'm sorry if it seemed so. I have no idea why he chose to talk about his feelings of being called a liar on his personal site and not on vmk, but perhaps its for the reason you mention above, that he feels he should not be complaining about customers while "on the job." Unfortunately as we have all come to learn the rules that apply to CM's in the parks don't seem to apply to staff and others who run VMK. Not long ago in a newsletter (I can't recall the date) Yavn posted about being in sunny southern california. I thought that was outrageous and set a very bad example as its a blatant disregard for VMK values, but there it was. I also happen to think its a very bad idea to have a publicly accessesible blog for the very same reasons. Its promoting contact outside of VMK and we are told over and over again thats a bad thing. Even to the point of being warned in game for even mentioning DIS boards. Then staff members mention to players about things they have read or seen posted or even ask players to post messages for them! Bottom line is, there is a double standard.

I totally understand what you're saying...however we can't blame Yavn for doing that if we, ourselves, are doing the same thing. We can't point fingers and say "he's going against the values" when we're on the Dis being way more open than he is on his blog.

 

[tigressjewel]

I totally understand what you're saying...however we can't blame Yavn for doing that if we, ourselves, are doing the same thing. We can't point fingers and say "he's going against the values" when we're on the Dis being way more open than he is on his blog.

What I said was against the values was telling his location in a recent newsletter. I said I thought the blog was a bad idea, thats just my personal opinion. A blog is not against VMK values, but supposedly talking about one or a message board in the game is. Why do you think that people have been warned and even banned from mentioning DIS on VMK? Because they must also believe that it encourages contact outside of the game. Their stand has been that its bad to make contact outside of VMK, yet a blog is ok, and staff saying they have read things here is ok. It all seems very inconsistent to me.

 

[mking624]

What I said was against the values was telling his location in a recent newsletter. I said I thought the blog was a bad idea, thats just my personal opinion. A blog is not against VMK values, but supposedly talking about one or a message board in the game is. Why do you think that people have been warned and even banned from mentioning DIS on VMK? Because they must also believe that it encourages contact outside of the game. Their stand has been that its bad to make contact outside of VMK, yet a blog is ok, and staff saying they have read things here is ok. It all seems very inconsistent to me.

What's the difference between him stating his location and us stating our location? Besides, the Disney Company base is in Burbank, California. And being that Yavn is a part of VMK, it's only natural to assume he's in southern California. He wouldn't even need to state that for us to know. You say it's setting a bad example to have a publicly accessible blog because it promotes outside contact...and yet here we are discussing this on a publicly accessible website. Like I said, we can't sit here and point fingers when we ourselves are doing the same thing. If we're going to point out inconsistency, we should first make sure that we are being consistent...otherwise we don't really have a leg to stand on. That said, Yavn is an adult. They discourage the use of personal information on the game because of how many minors are playing. There's a big difference between a minor giving out information and an adult posting on a blog.

 

[Maleficent2]

Maybe agreeing to disagree on this is where this needs to end.