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New Login Restrictions for Unsubscribed Players
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Sleuth Admin
Sleuth Admin
Tale Spinner

Jun-20-2006 10:44

Over the past six months, we've been struggling to maintain a decent level of Sleuth server performance, despite increasing numbers of simultaneous players.

This is a great problem to have! It means there are lots of new people trying out Sleuth, but it's a bit of a losing battle logistically. There has been some success making software changes to improve things, but those gains are quickly eclipsed as traffic continues to increase. There is only so much the current hardware can handle.

New server machines will be purchased in the next couple of months. This will help, but if Sleuth continues to grow, it won't be long before capacity is reached on the new machines as well, and things will slow down again.

This situation is unfair for paying subscribers, who cannot enjoy the game at peak hours due to the lag of the servers. So, in the interest of fairness there will be a rule change that will limit when unsubscribed players will be able to access the game.

Starting later this week, detectives who are unsubscribed and older than 7 days, will not be allowed to login if there are already 60 or more detectives online.

You will not be allowed to login to the game if all three of the following conditions are true:

1) There are already 60 or more detectives logged in
2) Your detective is not currently subscribed
3) Your detective is older than 7 days

Sleuth has always been as welcoming as possible to non-subscribed players. We also recognize that in some countries, the monthly subscription price is not affordable to everyone, but this rule change is necessary for the well-being of the game. Paying subscribers deserve to have access to a game that is playable, accessible and fun.

Thanks,
The Sleuth Team


Replies

lincooglerLinda
lincooglerLinda
Old Shoe

Jul-6-2006 20:06

I, for one, subscribe BECAUSE of the hunts. That is the part of this game that appeals to me most. Everyone is different and no one should be scoffed at for what their reasons for playing this game are.

As for getting what we have paid for, we do. We all get our ten cases a day. Whether we choose to play them or not, for whatever reason, is entirely up to us. We are already able to store 50% of our cases on any given day. Again, if we choose to take up our case files with other things, then that is our decision.

I think the restrictions Ben has put in place for the non-subscribers has helped immensely. There are still a few lag times but nothing like it was a few weeks ago. Nothing that you wouldn't find on any other site out there at peak times.

Marissima
Marissima

Jul-7-2006 01:42


i also have to travel for work from time to time and so it already happend that i lost an entire week (50 ! cases)

... but i also understand that it could turn into a rather huge amount of "stored up"-cases

AraLives
AraLives
Battered Shoe

Jul-7-2006 04:56

Another issue might be that the 10 cases a day are to encourage people to sub. If you were able to stockpile cases on days you can't play, you might decide not to subscribe every month--why bother renewing when your sub runs out when you have 187 cases stockpiled?

Lady Emerald Devon
Lady Emerald Devon
Nomad

Jul-7-2006 05:37

If we go back to Chron's original remarks: "... it wouldn't be so bad if we had unlimited file space so we could at least save our cases when the site is moving slowly."

- When the site is moving slowly. Which, I take to mean that it would not be a permanent measure?

Personally, I don't see a problem with how it is now as I hardly ever have time for my ten cases and neither does people in my agency. Especially now it's summer and we're making the most of it :D Sunbathing outside with a nice, cool drink or Sleuth?

HOWEVER, I understand where Chron is coming from. After all, we are paying for cases. I don't see why roll-over cases would be a problem, perhaps there could be a time limit of them. That is that they last for 3 days then poof! That way people couldn't actually stockpile 187 cases.

Even if an agency is that dedicated to hunts that they want to spend all day playing 20 or 30 hunts... while so be it. Kudos to them, myself, I'd rather spend time outside or with family and friends. Or talking to friends I've made on Sleuth.

If someone is all about the hunts and the glory and that's why they play, sweet as. I started this game in the best agency. (I think it's still number one.) It was all about the hunts. I hated it. It was dull and boring.
However, for others, it's the reason to the play the game and that's sweet as.

I play Sleuth because it's fun, I like hunting and winning them rather than being obsessive about HAVING to win them, more importantly I play Sleuth because there is a great community full of great people.

I read Chron's remarks as a tempory measure while and if and when the site is running so slow people can't do their cases. I think it states that your subscription is for 10 cases per DAY but it you can't play those cases not because of you lack the time but because the server is too slow then I think maybe rollover could work.

As for the site's slowness, I haven't had a problem since Ben bought in this new system.

Lady Emerald Devon
Lady Emerald Devon
Nomad

Jul-7-2006 05:42

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone by remarks. I'd also like to extend an apology to Chron as he stated that he did not write his remarks for public debate.
And I'm sorry if I've misread or mis-interpreted any comments.

To Ben, thank you for all you have done. The site is nearly back to it's normal speed. I appreciate your time and effort working this out.

Now, when will the dates for the Villians be announced.

cfm
cfm
Nomad

Jul-7-2006 23:21

Chronestrain, you have been around here longer than most of us. Infact, very few members are still hitting the streets with as much history under their belts as you. I arrived on the scene, as cfmdec, just a short time before your long break. Those who know me well know that at one time I basically had the entire history book of Sleuth at my fingertips and could find any thread at any time. My "research" skills are a little rusty, but I do still recall a good bit of what I learned when I was culling through the pages about this great game and the people who helped make it was it is.

I'm sure you recall the debate over being able to save favors. It made life nice and easy, hunts go quickly, and was a huge failure. Everyone seemed to pretty much agree saving favors wasn't such a great idea after all. However, I can imagine that a subbed player who wasn't into hunting wouldn't have minded being able to continue this practice, since that's where the bulk of the money comes from! Do a bunch of easy cases, then work the harder favors at your leisure!

Also, Ben has worked hard to keep the "feel" of the game a priority. Things like the number of clicks (no teleporting from the tailor to the suspect and back) or the fact if you don't solve the case you don't get to know "who dun it." Think about it...if Detective cfm decides to take the day off, do you think those potential clients are just gonna' wait around until she decides to come to work? Nope. Don't think so, not unless she makes arrangements with her teammates to pick those cases up for her.

I know you like to dictate who may or may not respond to your ideas *remembers mandated restrictions on replies for a director board discussion*, but the instant you put them out on a public board, they become "up for discussion." If you want a private conversation with Ben, there are ways to do so without having to attack those of us who love this game and have just as much right to voice our opinion as you.

cfm
cfm
Nomad

Jul-7-2006 23:26

...and now that I've used up one who post space....

Yes, I think that rollover or unlimited storage space is a bad idea.

We don't pay for our cases. We pay for the game experience. How we choose to spend our time here is our own. I've spent up to 8 hours a day doing cases in the past. YUCK. Now, I might do a couple of cases a day. Maybe. I don't expect to pay any less because I CHOSE not to do cases. There will be another 10 tomorrow if I decide I get the bug again.


Chronestrian
Chronestrian

Jul-8-2006 09:46

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.


Solve A Lot2
Solve A Lot2
Assistant Postman

Jul-8-2006 18:10

I agree with Chron's idea about cases rolling over. I think the time limit could be that when your subscription runs out, your cases are lost. So, if you renew your subscription, your cases are still there accumulating.

I don't think it will really give anyone a greater advantage in the hunts.

cfm
cfm
Nomad

Jul-8-2006 19:39

This is what Ben had to say about why we only get 10 cases a day anyway. in a thread in the subscriber center. This is probably where I should have started my case to begin with....

"The daily case limit is important for a couple reasons.

1) It limits the amount of traveling you can do. Without it, a rich detective could hop back and forth as much as they want, making the gameworld quite a bit smaller.

2) It dictates the pace of the treasure hunts. Otherwise, people with an unlimited amount of time to play could bowl through treasure hunts as quickly as they want. With the current setup, cooperation and strategy are more important.

Also, the game is designed to be accesible to casual players, and getting rid of the limit would make it tough for those people to keep pace."

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