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Nov-15-2010 08:06

Nov-15-2010 00:07
Botsie Boots P.I. was evicted from their headquarters for falling two days behind rent

These are sad news indeed...anyone knows what has happened? last log in is only 4 days before and they were participation in a TH !
Why on earth they had not taken care of their safe?

Nov-20-2010 07:05

The issues Androctonus mentions came up recently when I got careless and lost an agency. It wasn't a big deal for me, but it did lead to an email conversation with Ben about the whole process. There are two suggestions on the table: one, that directors receive an email rather than just a Sleuth inbox message when the agency is about to go under, and two, that instead of an agency being evicted and gone for ever, the landlord locks up the building until the back rent is paid. That way the agency and its assets would still be there, but inaccessible to the members until they'd settled their debts. Maybe there could be a limit on the time the directors had to do this - say a couple of months - otherwise there would still be defunct agencies hanging around once their owners were long gone from the game.

I'd be interested to know what others think. Obviously this is all too late for Botsie - I'm glad to hear about the anonymous subscription donor, by the way! - but it might help keep things going and be better for the game in the long run. One point I made to Ben is that one of the ways Sleuth manages to retain players like me is by being flexible about the amount of time and commitment you have to put in. These days I don't have time to be part of a treasure-hunting agency, but I can still keep going and get a lot out of the game as a solo player. Anything that helps us solos stay in touch and stick around is therefore good news in my book!

Nov-20-2010 08:12

I agree with Cordy.

It was just bad timing on my part. The first notification came when I wasn't online at all. Because of real life issues. Then the next day, when I was online, it was too late, Untouchables got evicted. While I didn't create that agency, it became my home here in sleuth noir and it was a blow when I found out that it's gone.

One will never fully understand the feeling of losing an agency, until it actually happens to them. Especially if you lost it only because you missed paying for two days and especially if it wasn't a deliberate move.

Perhaps instead of a two days grace period of paying, maybe it can be three or five days or maybe even a week. That way, for those who can't be online for a few days will still be able to pay.

As for Cordy's suggestion, I would like the second option.

Long live solo players!

Nov-20-2010 13:09

I too think Cordy's second option is great!

If the Landlord required a higher rent for the overdue period, as well as an unlocking fee (may be equal to start renting the place once more?) it would be no problem at all. Few people that loose their agency do so because they actually have a problem with money.

I know people have stopped playing due to having lost their agency.
Some have stopped playing completely, and some are playing less active and have lost much of their inspiration.

Also, I agree with Aknas that the grace period should be longer. Perhaps even an option to pre pay rent as a way to extend the grace period?

If this game is meant to inspire people to put a lot of work into it, which some obviously do, something must be done to make sure their effort is rewarded and taken care of!

I think it fits this game, that are filled with such a great amount of kind, mature and caring people, to not have real life issues, technical problems, illnesses, holidays give unredemptive consequences.

Said in another way, I think it's blameful for this game that real life issues, technical problems, illnesses, holidays, lack of good communication or other problems may give results that are like this unforgiving.

All the good people in this community deserves something else. They deserves a game that are equally kind, mature and caring, reflecting their nature.

Nov-20-2010 17:41

I think we were going to look at more notifications. I'd have to ask Ben if he ever implemented the email that was meant to go to directors. Obviously that doesn't help if you're a member and you're directors aren't active.

Anyway, I'll talk to Ben about this again. I'm sure we can come up with a happy balance between 'players being responsible for their agency, not admin' vs 'a fair go'.

I'd be happy to see an Agency go into 'stasis' (no access to case files, locker, etc etc) when it ran out of cash until it could cough up more money.

Nov-20-2010 17:57

what a shame it can happen to enyone
:*(

Nov-22-2010 08:56

I should have made it clear that the suggestion to lock up agencies until they paid their back rent came from Ben, not from me. I was just asking about the possibility of having more notice, as well as emails, and he was the one who took it further.

Nov-23-2010 07:26

In lieu of totally removing an agency, I like the "lock-up" option - with whatever requirements admin may wish to place on it

Nov-23-2010 21:14

I too like the second option Cordelia mentioned. There's been more than a dozen well-known agencies that have been lost in the past couple of years, simply due to lack of funds over a short period of time. I'm finding myself wishing more and more that simple changes like this could be worked on, please??

Breit