Will Mindark fix space ?

[mastermesh]

Brought this up in another thread, but posting here to actually 'ask Mindark' about it.

http://legal.entropiauniverse.com/le...rms-of-use.xml

o. You may not interfere in any way with the virtual economy of Entropia Universe and/or with other Participants’ ability to use or enjoy the auction system or any other trading system in Entropia Universe. The foregoing includes, without limitations, the prohibition of manipulation or cause to manipulate statistical data, directly or indirectly. This prohibitions includes, without limitation, prohibition of price manipulation and/or price fixing regarding virtual items on the auction system.

The old standard that Mindark used to use is that 'all trades are final' when dealing with trades. However, since Mindark has now made all of space, the ONLY means of travel between planets and/or to trade between planets as PVP, and support tells people to buy rides from other avatars, it seems that there's some contradiction here... How can 'all trades are final' rule stand when you are suggesting that avatars pay other avatars for services such as riding a taxi to another planet?

Space itself is causing a price manipulation potential so it needs to be fixed.

a few Suggestions on how to fix this problem... (feel free to add more suggestions)
- open up the tp system to tp from planet to planet as it used to be before space existed.
- create a new system where by folks riding in other avatar's vehicles can press a button to get their peds back if they paid them since this vehicle taxi service thing Mindark is suggesting is in opposition to the 'all trades are final' rule that's been around since the beginning
- open up the auction to allow inter-planetary trades again.
- open up some new means of travel between planets which is outside of the pvp zone in space? It is true that warp drives help with this, but that doesn't fix the problem completely... primarily because the 'all trades are final' rule is still in oposition to the use mothership as a taxi idea that support seems to be giving to people... maybe make it so that the 'non-pvp' area of space can be the outside borders of space... sort of like the way that pvp zones on planets have red zones on the map that can be travelled around... so the 'safe' routes would be taking the long way around.

[Sbi]

Come on mate... this 'reasoning' for changing space is getting a bit far fetched

Space is part of the core rules and any effect on pricing of items will be natural and likely intended. Just like drop rates of items (which could also thus if following your logic be labelled price manipulation).

Further more this lootable pvp 'issue' is nothing new. Has been here for a long time with e.g. blood moss. That is also only found afaik in lootable areas.

[mastermesh]

well spoken from your point of view...now it'd be nice to get a response form Mindark since this is the 'ask Mindark' section of the forum.

[Neil Stockton]

Sorry, I'm not Neil|Mindark, but I'm not seeing what "all trades are final" has to do with the issue of space flight and price manipulation. What am I missing?

[mastermesh]

Originally Posted by Neil Stockton

Sorry, I'm not Neil|Mindark, but I'm not seeing what "all trades are final" has to do with the issue of space flight and price manipulation. What am I missing?

Most pilots ask for peds before the flight... that's considered a 'trade.' Pilot is under no obligation to actually give you the 'service' that you paid for after that. Support, however, seems to imply that they should be... that's a contradiction to the all trades are final rule that Mindark has held historically. If you promise to pay after the taxi ride, you are under no 'obligation' to actually pay the pilot. That's a problem too.

Hunters have had that sort of problem with Fappers for eons... but Support never told anyone to take up the Fapping business, so that's a bit of a different situation.

[aia]

One thing I suggested back pre-vu-10 (before pay teleporters and space), was that getting added to guest list was done through a procedure simular to to beaty procedures: You would get a window, a qustion with "Do you want to be added to guest list? If you proceed, xx PEDs(*) would be drawn from your PED card".

(Where "xx" is the amount of peds agreed upon, it could be 0.)

Another problem in space is, (as taken from a thread on the other forum) is if you would travel with a rogue pilot - let's take it to the extremes, you somehow get shot down by the pilot who took you up in space. If such an event would be considered abusive, or if it's allowed according to "in pvp anything is allowed" (as it's happened in a past, a rougue pk:er joined a hunting team to go out in pvp4, and in middle of pvp4 left team and shot everyone down).

I guess right now the risk for a pure pilot scam (not getting a ride you paid for) is pretty slim as the "ships" in Twin Peaks have the list of the owner, and you can request to be added to guest list, see it show up in chat window, and then pay before taking off. The low-end underwear-wearing scammers usually don't go that far to get a quadwing to do that kind of scams (I hope).

[Neil Stockton]

Well, MA DOES investigate claims of scamming against pilots. So... I guess that's the answer you're looking for?

Yes, it would be nice if they had some kind of system that would ensure neither party gets scammed (remember, the pilot can also get scammed and a big "give me my pads back" button would mean more pilots getting scammed by passengers). A "player-to-player" mission system was recommended recently. The players set up the "mission" specifying fee and destination, and the peds would go into the system until the pilot and passenger reach the destination planet. That would work well, and probably wouldn't be too hard for MA to code.

But even with a system like that in place, space will still be a little different than other places. Trust is more of an issue (like it is with fappers and colorers). Basically, you should always fly with a pilot you trust, one who has a good reputation (these usually have good karma on their ship too). There are quite a few bad pilots out there (not just scammers, but people who can't fly safely), so it's a good idea to ask for referrals from your soc and other friends before flying. Unfortunately, it has become less profitable of late to be a quad pilot, so most of the reputable and experienced pilots from the past no longer stand around wasting their time shouting about flights. And it's easier for the low-lifes to get a quad now that they can get a ship and thruster for as low as 150 ped. When it was 2000 ped, almost all commercial pilots were good ones.

I wish there were a way for players to post reviews of pilots... to help people decide who to trust in space. I'm going to think and see if I can find a way for ASF to help out with this.

[Buck Wyld]

There really isn't anything to fix, but what might help is dropping more fuses and warp bps so that more ms and privatiers are able to offer warp service. I think the sof and sbi and a very few others are doing a good job they aren't always on or available

[aia]

Originally Posted by Buck Wyld

There really isn't anything to fix, but what might help is dropping more fuses and warp bps so that more ms and privatiers are able to offer warp service. I think the sof and sbi and a very few others are doing a good job they aren't always on or available

I wouldn't mind if cost for warps went down so it would be possible to get a ride to another planet for say 20 peds, without either having to travel for about an hour in quadwing or waiting in and for the only weekly scheduled mothership flight.

Again, 100 ped might be ok if you're a high level trader and you're bringing 10ks of stackables, but for a "depositor" where every PED spent in game comes from depositing, it sucks. (Well I have one CLD giving a few symbolic PEDs - but that one is also bought for deposited money.)

[Bjorn|MindArk]

One of our priorities in early 2012 will be to exand and improve the user experience in space. Hopefully I will be able to share an overview of our space development roadmap very soon.