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Unfortunately I missed the meeting earlier this evening. Can we get a recap here? Thanks!
Sure...
Here are the major points I touched on. First, I mentioned things since the last meeting in December. Mainly, Feast of Immortals festival and Briarmoon Cove.
Next I moved on to March and noted that the meeting was a little earlier this quarter because I need to plan the summer festival and wanted to take a vote.
"For the past couple of years we’ve had the Midsummer Night’s Festival with the magical woodland sprites. Before that, we had the Culinary Collective… a group of merchant wagons and tents with fun foods and food related items. Or, we could do something completely new." We took a vote whether the attendees wanted to see the Sprite fest, the Culinary Collective, or something new.
Something new won..."Okay, so you want something new. Here’s your task. Everyone come up with a basic premise for a new festival. Like, “wandering gypsy troupe in the jungle” (and don’t pick that because it’s been done before!) and send it to me in email GSJainna@aim.com by March 15th! You can go into as much or as little detail as you like."
And this is the rest of my script for the evening...
So, now that we got that out of the way, let’s move toward my other news. This is more toward what’s coming for the future… Xerria has had some changes.
First, there is a pretty hard rule in place now for merchants and that is our sessions can’t last more than 2 hours without a break. So for Xerria, who normally runs longer, this means when she hits the 2 hour mark, she has to take a 30 minute break. This is a pain for me as well as those waiting, so I’m considering some options. For instance…
In order to help this process go faster, I’m going to move Xerria’s Really Rare Raffles to another night, or much earlier the same day, so that it won’t be part of the same event, which will make Xerria’s Unlocking sessions purely regular unlocking. This will free up about 20-30 minutes by itself.
Another option would be to move to two nights of Xerria unlocking, but I’d always have to use a spinner to choose because it would allow me to make sure people only got one turn per month… which leads me to the other change Xerria is facing.
And this is the badder news… Xerria is no longer going to be able to do two unlocks per person. She is limited now to one per account per month (not counting the raffle.) This was not my call, but something I have to stick to.
On the plus side, I’m still asking for new scripts and some of them have trickled in, so we’ll have a couple more scripts added to the list this month.
~Just Jainna
Here are the major points I touched on. First, I mentioned things since the last meeting in December. Mainly, Feast of Immortals festival and Briarmoon Cove.
Next I moved on to March and noted that the meeting was a little earlier this quarter because I need to plan the summer festival and wanted to take a vote.
"For the past couple of years we’ve had the Midsummer Night’s Festival with the magical woodland sprites. Before that, we had the Culinary Collective… a group of merchant wagons and tents with fun foods and food related items. Or, we could do something completely new." We took a vote whether the attendees wanted to see the Sprite fest, the Culinary Collective, or something new.
Something new won..."Okay, so you want something new. Here’s your task. Everyone come up with a basic premise for a new festival. Like, “wandering gypsy troupe in the jungle” (and don’t pick that because it’s been done before!) and send it to me in email GSJainna@aim.com by March 15th! You can go into as much or as little detail as you like."
And this is the rest of my script for the evening...
So, now that we got that out of the way, let’s move toward my other news. This is more toward what’s coming for the future… Xerria has had some changes.
First, there is a pretty hard rule in place now for merchants and that is our sessions can’t last more than 2 hours without a break. So for Xerria, who normally runs longer, this means when she hits the 2 hour mark, she has to take a 30 minute break. This is a pain for me as well as those waiting, so I’m considering some options. For instance…
In order to help this process go faster, I’m going to move Xerria’s Really Rare Raffles to another night, or much earlier the same day, so that it won’t be part of the same event, which will make Xerria’s Unlocking sessions purely regular unlocking. This will free up about 20-30 minutes by itself.
Another option would be to move to two nights of Xerria unlocking, but I’d always have to use a spinner to choose because it would allow me to make sure people only got one turn per month… which leads me to the other change Xerria is facing.
And this is the badder news… Xerria is no longer going to be able to do two unlocks per person. She is limited now to one per account per month (not counting the raffle.) This was not my call, but something I have to stick to.
On the plus side, I’m still asking for new scripts and some of them have trickled in, so we’ll have a couple more scripts added to the list this month.
~Just Jainna
>Xerria is no longer going to be able to do two unlocks per person. She is limited now to one per account per month (not counting the raffle.)
Firstly, I want to say that Jainna has been amazing for Premium and is by far the best thing to ever happen to it. This isn't a knock on you at all, but I have to also say that the continuing trend towards devaluing Premium and transferring those benefits to Basic and F2P who pay a fraction or nothing of what Premium subscribers do is the biggest slap in the face from Simu to the game's best and long-term subscribers.
Firstly, I want to say that Jainna has been amazing for Premium and is by far the best thing to ever happen to it. This isn't a knock on you at all, but I have to also say that the continuing trend towards devaluing Premium and transferring those benefits to Basic and F2P who pay a fraction or nothing of what Premium subscribers do is the biggest slap in the face from Simu to the game's best and long-term subscribers.
Thanks for the recap; I'm a bit sorry not to see the sprites back (especially the perfume shop), but I look forward to whatever's going to take their place.
>Xerria is no longer going to be able to do two unlocks per person.
One unlock's still pretty good! I'll make sure to sort my items carefully so I make the most of it.
>Xerria is no longer going to be able to do two unlocks per person.
One unlock's still pretty good! I'll make sure to sort my items carefully so I make the most of it.
>>I'm a bit sorry not to see the sprites back
I told the folks at the meeting, Sprites got second place so if I don't get any usable ideas, they'll be back. And even if they're not here this year, I think it would be cool to have a festival "rotation" so you know you'd see them again when their turn came up.
~Just Jainna
I told the folks at the meeting, Sprites got second place so if I don't get any usable ideas, they'll be back. And even if they're not here this year, I think it would be cool to have a festival "rotation" so you know you'd see them again when their turn came up.
~Just Jainna
Just to add a little to this...
The 2 hour rule has been a guideline in place since well before I became a GM (2006), but it's being enforced more so as a rule than a guideline now. The reason is simple: when people work for longer than 2 hours, they start to make more frequent mistakes. This is not a reflection on any one GM, it's happened to all of us. This is simply about quality and consistency. For every hour a GM goes over the 2 hour mark, we typically spend over 5 hours (collectively) cleaning up the issues that come from it (through assists, etc). Not counting the time that players spend in the assist/referral queue waiting for the fixes.
The 1 unlock/month as opposed to 2 is also not intended as a "take away" from Premium. With all the new scripts coming out, we want to make sure that as many people as possible have a chance to get Xerria's (and others') services.
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
The 2 hour rule has been a guideline in place since well before I became a GM (2006), but it's being enforced more so as a rule than a guideline now. The reason is simple: when people work for longer than 2 hours, they start to make more frequent mistakes. This is not a reflection on any one GM, it's happened to all of us. This is simply about quality and consistency. For every hour a GM goes over the 2 hour mark, we typically spend over 5 hours (collectively) cleaning up the issues that come from it (through assists, etc). Not counting the time that players spend in the assist/referral queue waiting for the fixes.
The 1 unlock/month as opposed to 2 is also not intended as a "take away" from Premium. With all the new scripts coming out, we want to make sure that as many people as possible have a chance to get Xerria's (and others') services.
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
>The 1 unlock/month as opposed to 2 is also not intended as a "take away" from Premium. With all the new scripts coming out, we want to make sure that as many people as possible have a chance to get Xerria's (and others') services.
That doesn't make sense. Xerria worked for everyone, so by limiting it to 1 unlock/month you are taking away half of what everyone could possibly have achieved before. Reducing an already guaranteed amount (assuming you have the items to get done) =/= providing as many people as possible a chance.
Speaking in Faendryl, Jahosk says, "You will now be known as Blade Durakar, the Palestra."
That doesn't make sense. Xerria worked for everyone, so by limiting it to 1 unlock/month you are taking away half of what everyone could possibly have achieved before. Reducing an already guaranteed amount (assuming you have the items to get done) =/= providing as many people as possible a chance.
Speaking in Faendryl, Jahosk says, "You will now be known as Blade Durakar, the Palestra."
That would only be true if Xerria could do an unlimited amount of merchanting hours, on top of all of Jainna's other merchants.
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
I have never seen Xerria turn anyone away. By cutting the amount from 2/month down to 1/month you would need to see more than twice as many people show up to the sessions as has been happening. Will there be some increase? Likely. But will it be enough to accomplish your goal of providing as many services as possible? I highly doubt it and would love to see the numbers that come from this.
2-1 =/= 3
Speaking in Faendryl, Jahosk says, "You will now be known as Blade Durakar, the Palestra."
2-1 =/= 3
Speaking in Faendryl, Jahosk says, "You will now be known as Blade Durakar, the Palestra."
> The 1 unlock/month as opposed to 2 is also not intended as a "take away" from Premium.
The change may not be intended this way, but that is how it comes across. I doubt anyone wants to make Jainna work nonstop, but I have heard complaints from at least a few people that the past year has had premium subscriptions losing benefit after benefit, without having much added to make premium remain as attractive.
If it is unfair to Jainna that she do this much work alone, perhaps other staff could help her more or other changes could be made, such as dropping the PP costs of various items and services.
The change may not be intended this way, but that is how it comes across. I doubt anyone wants to make Jainna work nonstop, but I have heard complaints from at least a few people that the past year has had premium subscriptions losing benefit after benefit, without having much added to make premium remain as attractive.
If it is unfair to Jainna that she do this much work alone, perhaps other staff could help her more or other changes could be made, such as dropping the PP costs of various items and services.
+1 everything said here. Xerria did everyone in the room, so effectively you're taking unlocks away from us rather than spreading them around. I wouldn't mind seeing a half hour to hour break every 2 hours, but in essence a premium perk is being taken away from us.
It already took so long to get anything unlocked and with limits on how many of the slightly rare services(Veola 2nd unlock, hoods on armor, etc), it was already hard to get them.
You said it yourself that Xerria's unlocks are mostly fluff based, so why now limit them so much? It won't help spread them out at all.
It already took so long to get anything unlocked and with limits on how many of the slightly rare services(Veola 2nd unlock, hoods on armor, etc), it was already hard to get them.
You said it yourself that Xerria's unlocks are mostly fluff based, so why now limit them so much? It won't help spread them out at all.
I agree with all of the above posts on (yet another) loss to a premium subscription. Guaranteed Xerria unlocks are to me, a huge perk that is now being cut in half. ..That's all I have to say about that.
On the topic of breaks, for as many times as I've heard "It is up to the GM's discretion" on a hundred game topics, I find it amusing that they are being forced to take mandated breaks. Why not leave it to their discretion? I believe this will only end in less work, and less satisfied customers. Jainna already stated "This is a pain for me as well as those waiting", and that she would try and split her current one night of Xerria into two or three(two nights of unlocks, one night of raffles) sessions to make up for it- that is far more work and scheduling for her, and more scheduling for us, that would otherwise not be needed. If she keeps it to one session and takes a break she might not want, it would only make her shift that much longer, make us wait around that much longer, and not guarantee that she gets to everyone.
Me personally, irl? I would rather work four straight hours and take a few minutes break here and there when I felt I needed it, than to essentially be forced to work 4.5 hours with a break(I'd also rather work four 10 hour days over five 8 hour days, kind of the same principle- some people prefer the latter, and that's okay too!). My shift would be much shorter without a forced break, and if given no choice I would likely just stop at 2 hours and be done. I have a feeling that this will end in less work overall, and the merchant GMs who love doing marathon sessions for us will be forced to not.
Please leave it, as so many other topics in the game, as "a guideline but ultimately up to GM discretion", a decision on a per session basis. If they want to take a 30 minute break, great- let them decide and clearly communicate to their customers what their plans are for that session. If they want to take five minutes here and there? Also great, let them decide and clearly communicate to their customers that session.
I greatly appreciate all the GMs and the work do. Jainna is a rock star, and the last thing I want is to burn her out and make her job harder, to be forced to schedule even more sessions in an attempt to keep going above and beyond, something she's easily been doing since day one with us.
Mistakes happen regardless. And everyone is different. I know I am -more- tired and liable to make mistakes after a break, than I am when I just work straight through. It's not one slot we all fit into. Which is why I think we all would love to pick and choose when we get breaks in our rl jobs. Why mandate breaks for our GMs who volunteer their time? Let them decide.
>Mistakes happen regardless. And everyone is different.
Maybe not everyone is as different as you think, and using yourself as a singular example and making broad statements does not prove your point. The GM staff have been running merchants for many many years, I doubt they would implement this rule for no reason. As stated by Liia, the longer hours were causing problems, the break guideline was not working and had to be changed to a rule:
>For every hour a GM goes over the 2 hour mark, we typically spend over 5 hours (collectively) cleaning up the issues that come from it (through assists, etc). Not counting the time that players spend in the assist/referral queue waiting for the fixes.
I agree that there will be less mistakes with this rule in place, because there will be less work done overall, in my opinion(and those I've spoken to). Time will tell, I guess.
Back to Xerria then, why enforce this rule(with that reason behind it) for her unlocking sessions? It's simply unlocking two(or one now, heh)items from her lists. There is no altering involved, very little room for error. If she wants to spend all night unlocking for us with a few minutes break here and there, let her. If she doesn't and would rather make 2 or three sessions, let her decide on that as well.
Back to Xerria then, why enforce this rule(with that reason behind it) for her unlocking sessions? It's simply unlocking two(or one now, heh)items from her lists. There is no altering involved, very little room for error. If she wants to spend all night unlocking for us with a few minutes break here and there, let her. If she doesn't and would rather make 2 or three sessions, let her decide on that as well.
When I bagged groceries in high school, the union required we take 15 minute breaks each 2 hours of work.
What kinds of mistakes was I likely to make? It was a pretty easy job. This doesn't refute the concept that enforcing breaks is generally a good idea.
The deathbot will come back eventually.
>Daid: Pretty sure you have a whole big bucket as your penny jar. You never have only two cents. :p
What kinds of mistakes was I likely to make? It was a pretty easy job. This doesn't refute the concept that enforcing breaks is generally a good idea.
The deathbot will come back eventually.
>Daid: Pretty sure you have a whole big bucket as your penny jar. You never have only two cents. :p
For the Xerria sessions, since we're going from two to one unlocks a month, perhaps a secondary change of "the one unlock is now free" could be considered? I'm suggesting this because it would be one less thing Xerria would need to do accurately for EVERY person in the session so could cut out a fair small chunk of time and help her stay under 2 hours.
Life is short, so tell someone today that you love them. But shout it loudly in Faendryl, because life is also terrifying and confusing.
Life is short, so tell someone today that you love them. But shout it loudly in Faendryl, because life is also terrifying and confusing.
>> The 1 unlock/month as opposed to 2 is also not intended as a "take away" from Premium.
Hilarious. I was having fun snickering about wizards for a while but all these profession and benefit nerfs are getting old. Whichever head honcho thinks these are good ideas needs to be made to sit in a corner with a dunce cap. If Jainna is an overachiever and wants to do unlocks for everyone cause she cares about the customers and quality control isnt really an issue with unlocks its silly to refuse to let her.
Hilarious. I was having fun snickering about wizards for a while but all these profession and benefit nerfs are getting old. Whichever head honcho thinks these are good ideas needs to be made to sit in a corner with a dunce cap. If Jainna is an overachiever and wants to do unlocks for everyone cause she cares about the customers and quality control isnt really an issue with unlocks its silly to refuse to let her.
>>perhaps a secondary change of "the one unlock is now free" could be considered?
In what sense? Do you mean as in how many silvers Xerria charges for this service?
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
In what sense? Do you mean as in how many silvers Xerria charges for this service?
~Liia
APM, Events & World Development
Dear My Favoritest Liia,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my barbie-loving soul can reach... (even when you set me on fire)
~Issalya
yeah having friends leave the game because something they have spent years building up is now totally wrecked is bad enough but now it just keeps getting worse. Seriosuly two hours? did simu move it's headquarters to France or something?
Fyrentennimar
Quote: "Jaynah says, "This is more fun than rolton tipping and blood eagle ridin combined.""
I have to agree that this decision is very disappointing. It's almost impossible for me to make Xerria's sessions at all now given the timing of them but at least with 2 unlocks, I considered it worthwhile attempting to go.
I'm also beginning to think that it might be time to downsize to one Prime only character with a capsule wardrobe in one locker - it will be a challenge but I like a challenge!
>>You slay me woman! ~ Wyrom
http://gsguide.wikia.com/wiki/Rohese
I'm also beginning to think that it might be time to downsize to one Prime only character with a capsule wardrobe in one locker - it will be a challenge but I like a challenge!
>>You slay me woman! ~ Wyrom
http://gsguide.wikia.com/wiki/Rohese
>>In what sense? Do you mean as in how many silvers Xerria charges for this service?
I'm suggesting making the unlocks free simply because it may reduce the time per person from, say, 2.5 minutes to 2 minutes. Multiplied across all the participants, it would help reduce the pressure to stay under 2 hours.
Life is short, so tell someone today that you love them. But shout it loudly in Faendryl, because life is also terrifying and confusing.
I'm suggesting making the unlocks free simply because it may reduce the time per person from, say, 2.5 minutes to 2 minutes. Multiplied across all the participants, it would help reduce the pressure to stay under 2 hours.
Life is short, so tell someone today that you love them. But shout it loudly in Faendryl, because life is also terrifying and confusing.
Heh. I'm not arguing for or against the fee being removed but you still won't know how much to charge because frequently people show up with things that cannot be unlocked and then don't have backup items.
That, and people entering your raffles without reading the ticket or having eligible items... grumble
Just saying...
-- Robert
Raggler squeakily says, "Muffins are also known to be one of the most healthiest foods in the world."
Raggler squeakily says, "It's a fact."
That, and people entering your raffles without reading the ticket or having eligible items... grumble
Just saying...
-- Robert
Raggler squeakily says, "Muffins are also known to be one of the most healthiest foods in the world."
Raggler squeakily says, "It's a fact."
That's a good point. Maybe that raffle should be for one of the super rare things... OR.... a second unlock.
Still reeling that they are taking that away. I'd gone to 3 premium accounts because I've been trying to get my many alters from years and years of Ebon's gates as unlocked as I can... but it's gonna take twice as long now. Really not sure I need 3 premium anymore. Other than locker space I haven't got a valid reason to be premium except for Xerria's unlocks. I'll have to think about it.
Still reeling that they are taking that away. I'd gone to 3 premium accounts because I've been trying to get my many alters from years and years of Ebon's gates as unlocked as I can... but it's gonna take twice as long now. Really not sure I need 3 premium anymore. Other than locker space I haven't got a valid reason to be premium except for Xerria's unlocks. I'll have to think about it.
>> That's a good point. Maybe that raffle should be for one of the super rare things... OR.... a second unlock.
This is a seriously flawed and terrible idea. The raffles are so people can get the super rare things. Allowing it to be a chance for a second unlock will just mean a lot more people will enter that don't have an eligible item.
I would be much more in favor of public humiliation and shaming for folks that enter the raffle and then don't have something for it. Maybe... I dunno... make them help Retser sign fan mail for an hour or force them to talk in () for a day or, or... force them to eat food from a disgusting bucket or something equally horrific.
-- Robert
Raggler squeakily says, "Muffins are also known to be one of the most healthiest foods in the world."
Raggler squeakily says, "It's a fact."
This is a seriously flawed and terrible idea. The raffles are so people can get the super rare things. Allowing it to be a chance for a second unlock will just mean a lot more people will enter that don't have an eligible item.
I would be much more in favor of public humiliation and shaming for folks that enter the raffle and then don't have something for it. Maybe... I dunno... make them help Retser sign fan mail for an hour or force them to talk in () for a day or, or... force them to eat food from a disgusting bucket or something equally horrific.
-- Robert
Raggler squeakily says, "Muffins are also known to be one of the most healthiest foods in the world."
Raggler squeakily says, "It's a fact."
>>I'm not arguing for or against the fee being removed but you still won't know how much to charge because frequently people show up with things that cannot be unlocked and then don't have backup items.
This is why my merchants usually get paid for like 20 people at a time. So if someone passes for whatever reason, the payment just goes to the next person in line.
~Just Jainna
This is why my merchants usually get paid for like 20 people at a time. So if someone passes for whatever reason, the payment just goes to the next person in line.
~Just Jainna
>This is why my merchants usually get paid for like 20 people at a time. So if someone passes for whatever reason, the payment just goes to the next person in line.
I fail to follow the logic that "I pay for 20 services" wouldn't work in a case where people can get 1 or 2 services. It's a very moot point but, hi math is easy.
The deathbot will come back eventually.
>Daid: Pretty sure you have a whole big bucket as your penny jar. You never have only two cents. :p
I fail to follow the logic that "I pay for 20 services" wouldn't work in a case where people can get 1 or 2 services. It's a very moot point but, hi math is easy.
The deathbot will come back eventually.
>Daid: Pretty sure you have a whole big bucket as your penny jar. You never have only two cents. :p
