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Nov-10-2006 17:12

I was just perusing the weekly high scorers (wow! you guys are amazing...) and was wondering just how it is possible to complete so many cases (200+!) in one week. By my count, 7X12 is 84, plus maybe another 4 favors per day - that still only makes 112, if you solved everything. Where are the other 100+ cases coming from?

Nov-11-2006 13:32

Zanjana I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier but now that its here, I feel the need to put in my two cents.

You bring up something here that I agree with my esteemed colleagues about, is very much something that has been discussed and wondered about. I myself am not ALL that old in this game, being just over 200 days, and with a score of 4.5 mil, I am pretty proud of my stats.

However, it does make me feel a little bit less proud of myself, knowing I can't stack up against people who can work 266 cases a week, which I can't and am not willing to do. A) because in my opinion, it feels unethical and B) because that requires you to be controlling multiple detectives within an agency, which is a rule here (no more than two per agency). There are ways to get around this rule, but I would't dream of actually using them, because while it might not violate the rule itself, it certainly in my opinion violates the spirit of them.

I have worked very hard for my place on the high scores lists, busting my hump to complete all my cases, every day, with a few extra here and there for favors, etc. I have taken part in an agency which was barely a blip on the map when I started and now is a Top 20 agency, not because of winning a bunch of hunts, but because we worked on all AI cases. I think in my opinion that having an Experience Factory is an insult to the other detectives who do things the right way.

I don't mean to insult anyone here, I really don't, but I think this is an issue that needs to come to light. Not in a mean, or disrespectful way, but as a way to be fair to the ENTIRE community.

Nov-11-2006 13:33

Here, here biggie!!! *cheers*

Nov-11-2006 13:50

Yes, Biggie. EXACTLY.

Nov-11-2006 14:14

Thanks guys....

I also respectfully request that this thread be moved to Sleuth Talk so everyone can weigh in on this, I'm curious to see dissenting opinions as well.

Nov-11-2006 14:16

True - the whole highest score table is worthless - gamesmanship versus playing the game. How do we know who to respect?

Nov-11-2006 14:32

Hold up. When Biggie says she feels a little less proud of herself, when Fiddler's Green asks "How do we know who to respect"--something is wrong here. Why are we basing pride and respect on numbers? SMRT is a top 20 agency, but even if it weren't, I'm *still* very proud of what we've accomplished, of the people in our agency, of the relationships we've fostered in the agency and in the community. I am proud of the friends I've made here. I respect people who learn the game, who share their knowledge with others, who are open and honest and helpful in the community. There is more to this game, and to ACTUAL REAL LIFE, than numbers.

Nov-11-2006 14:41

Good point Ara. I am VERY proud of SMRT and all of us in there, and happy to have been a part of accomplishing what we have.

I just feel like those accomplishments get washed away by others competing unfairly just to run up the scores. I would NOT be proud of myself or of anyone in SMRT who did the same. Its an empty victory, at best.

Nov-11-2006 14:45

I tend to agree that sometimes those numbers are downright ficticious. I always felt it want againts the spirit of the rules of the game, if not against the letter of the rules.

But I suppose that if it works for some...

Personally, I am much more proud of agency accomplishments.

Nov-11-2006 14:47

I decided to let sleeping dogs lie about this a while ago when I noticed things going on on the high score board. Though I felt bad for Rem, and the other high scorers, they are adults who can speak up for themselves.

The last few days I have changed my mind. Despite wanting to stay silent, and let sleeping dogs lie. I feel I am abandoning those, that are trying to stand up for not only what they feel is right, but are also mentioning my name and stand up for me.

I never retired jstkdn although I stopped playing, just in case I ever wanted to start playing again or gun for the numer 1 spot. I have thought about retiring jstkdn, but have been asked to not do this, by the very people who are sticking their neck out right now.

I don't want to go in to a debate as to what is wrong and what is right. Because you know what, I don't know. I only know what I thought was right. I can’t say what everyone else thinks should be right.

But I can let you know about my thinking at the time.

Nov-11-2006 14:47

A few years ago I started playing rediculously hard cases (almost IMpossible didn't exist.) I was ill at the time, so I had the time. As I wasn't able to do much normal living, I set a goal for myself that I could achieve. A goal that by a community and myself would be recognized as something that took a lot of time, a lot of effort. I was aware that there was a formal maximum 2 detective rule (and with that I maximum of X cases, X contacts etc.) And I also thought that the point of playing a game, is that there was something to play. Of course the easiest way to get a lot of points is by taking a lot of cases from others, and running an assemply line of contacts. This is not playing a game, but an assembly line. Now when I thought of this, as I am sure most of us as the easiest tactic, I felt it was crossing a line. Despite there being no personal rule. I am able to discern what is playing a game, and what is not. It was obvious that everyone else was also playing the same game that I was. Not one of an assembly line. But a game where you had two detectives, 2 PE contacts, and 2 WE contacts. You played your cases, and only when you got stuck you put it in case files and asked for help.

So I embarked on a huge goal, that I knew would take me many hours and many days. So about a year, daily I spent hours playing ridiculously hard cases. I can’t tell you how many hours it took, but one year of daily playing, hours and hours each day. You can do the math.

It was hard to beat Bella Luna at the time, and stay ahead of Remmington Steel, and others. We were all very close in points. Secretly rejoicing when one of us went on holiday, so we could pass the other.  Also they put in a lot of time.

And it wasn’t just about the bella’s of the world. It’s also all the others who were counting experience points of their accomplishments, no matter if it is at 500K, 1 million or 8 million.