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Aug-30-2004 11:29

There has been a bit of an epidemic of thefts from agency equipment lockers lately. Although there is some access control provided by the current agency rank system, it is clear that the current system is not restrictive enough. I've had to spend a fair amount of time lately trying to clear up the server and network stability problems, but providing adequate security for agency lockers is now my top priority after keeping the game up and running.

With that in mind here are some options that I am currently considering adding. If you are currently or were previously an agency member, I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Transaction Log for Agency Safe - Keep a list where Directors can see who has put money in, and taken money out of the agency safe. This might be a feature agency's have to purchase.

2) Transaction Log for Equipment Locker - Keep a list where Directors can see who has stored and retrieved items from the equipment locker. This might be a feature agency's have to purchase.

3) Officer/Director Locker Storage - Allow users to flag certain items as only being able to be removed by Officers and/or Directors. This might be a feature agency's have to purchase.

4) Marking Equipment as "Agency" Items - Allow Items to be marked as belonging to an Agency. Only Officers or Directors would be able to sell an agency item. Nobody would be able to logoff or quit an agency while using an agency item. I have some concern that doing this would take a LOT of programming time. If it is the prefered solution, I could do it, but it would take much longer to do than the other options.

5) A "Thief" flag - Allow Directors to mark ex-members as Thieves, so that other agencies could be wary of bringing them on. This would be easy to do, but I really don't like the idea very much. It seems likely that it would eventually be abused.

Aug-31-2004 00:49

Seems like the easiest thing would be to somehow mark the items that a detective entered the agency with. Then if you "earn" a new item while part of the agency(ie. through a favor) then that would be yours to take if you leave that agency. Bottom line is that you could only mark 4 items and they would have to either be what you already had when you entered the agency or what you earned while being a productive member of that agency. I have no idea what this would involve for you Ben as far as programming, so sorry if it is a big pain in the you know what, but just a thought.

Aug-31-2004 01:25

I cannot see the necessity for any member,director or rookie to be able to sell unlimited amounts of gear. What reason do you need? Free up locker, pay off shady, there may be others. Most agencies I'm sure look after each other as far as finances are concerned. Only thoes not in agencies may need to sell large amounts of gear. So I was thinking you could perhaps depending on rank limit every one the amount they are able to sell while in an agency. Perhaps a rookie could sell one item per day. An agent 2, officer 3, Director 4.

Aug-31-2004 01:28

On leaving an agency. I think every person should be allowed to leave an agency if they wish.

Aug-31-2004 01:41

Perhaps a locker holding 4 items could be designed for this purpose.It could possibly be used in the following way. When someone clicks to resign a locker space would appear and you would be instructed to store the current gear you are wearing. Then a message to say that you can choose 4 items to leave the agency wearing. The items you are able to choose would depend on your choice of tough, smart, charm or a combination. The selection you would be able to leave with would depend on your experience and may be set up in a way simlar to that when choosing a new detectives skills. I suggest this for some members may have contributed much to the agency, in fame and in adding items to the locker and also in the gear they may have bought to the agency.

Aug-31-2004 01:47

This locker now storing 4 items would be emptied by an officer or director into the agency locker at some later stage but there would have to be a time limit on this. For instance if this locker was not emptied within 12 hours the items would evaporate. This is so other members would still be able to leave if they wanted.

Aug-31-2004 01:51

I think there should also be a time limit between a member joining a new agency and when they leave or are kicked out. May be 24 hours. I have recently noted a member from an agency has moved from one to two then back to one within 12 hours. I can guess why this was done but choose not to say so on this thread.

Aug-31-2004 02:02

Theif flag? I feel any one can create new detectives for this purpose. So I think creating measures for protection may be better. It is good agencies have come forth with their stories and the names of some of these agents, so this discussion can take place.

Aug-31-2004 11:08

Agree wholeheartedly about the 24 hr waiting period. That doesn't seem too bad in the long run, really.

Aug-31-2004 13:16

WOW were have i been. well i like all of them...in the case of our agency its only two of us so we dont have that problem. but with #5 i think that the theif flag should be confidential only to Directors. that way if an Officer helps in the recuriting it should be the Directors who approve this newbie (because they can see the confidential file of the theif flag).

As far as the equipment locker you might have to do it the same way the case file is done. if one doesn't want thier equipment to be used then mark it privite and if it is open for use and someone wants to use it there should be a borrow botton in order to use the item and when the case is solved or you falsely accuse then the item you borrowed should automatically go back into the locker when case is over (meaning after every case you have to re-borrow).

also maybe when an item is taken from the storage locker on our detective photo (that shows our items) at the bottom (maybe font 6) it reads borrowed item.

now as for selling of items, i think that if an item that is sold and is not yours the money should automatically go to the original owner or to the safe with a pop up stating that sam sold mary's item and then the director can forword the money over to the rightful owner and can try to handle that action before it gets out of hand. like a warning. and if its done 3 times then the teift flag is turned on.

im just puting it out there.

Aug-31-2004 23:11

I may be wrong, but I think Bella was referring to some of the personnel shuffling that has been going on between the 2 ERF TEAMS, and before any crap starts and gets blown out of proportion of minconstrued, I will set the record straight. Firstly, we have several new agents in both agencies, and some have developed a comeraderie which I didn't realize until they requested to go back to working with each other. I had no problem with it, so we did it. Secondly, one of my veteran agents lost her license and thought I would be upset, so she removed her lesser agent. When she and I finally talked and I laughed about the whole situation, she rejoined. That's the long and short of it. If ANYONE has any questions, you are more than welcome to ask me, there's no need for guessing or speculating, I have never withheld anything from anyone. Now as far as all this fuss over these 'make-believe' items, I don't understand any of it, because these things are so easy to come by and so easy to replace, why get so worked up over it. Also, this isn't real-life, and these aren't real possessions. As for my team, I make sure my agents have what they need to do the job, just like any other team or job, you have to be prepared if you're going to succeed. That's the beauty of being a director, you get to work within your own philosophies. I for one do not want to see any restrictions on my teams locker, and I don't want any limitations on how many things I can sell in a day's time, because I do it constantly. Lighten up everybody, it's just a game. :-)