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Agency Equipment Theft
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Sleuth Admin
Sleuth Admin
Tale Spinner

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.



Replies

Dr. Falco Maltese
Dr. Falco Maltese
Well-Connected

Sep-2-2004 03:23

Lastly, while I am not opposed to agencies buying things as part of the game to make things more interesting, I would hate to see younger agencies suffer by becoming vulnerable to security risks that don't threaten established agencies. Perhaps these "pay" features could be free for new agencies, and then as their fame grew, they would be required to pay protection money to La Cosa - and the fee would increase with the fame, as the shady guy's fee increases for individuals?

Kay
Kay
Well-Connected

Sep-2-2004 10:31

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 (because that is being dishonest).
but remember it is a game and we are here to have fun and meet ne folks from all over.

*repeating myself*

elvenwonder
elvenwonder

Sep-2-2004 11:16

What about having Officers able to recruite, but not promote? This way only Directors, who see the theft flag, can promote to agent and use of the locker?

Moonshh
Moonshh
Well-Connected

Sep-3-2004 12:03

Please don't do #5. Couldn't people create a character, subscribe, join an agency, steal equipment, join another agency and then either stay or create a different agent and repeat the process without being flagged? And people could be unjustly flagged....

jldcat
jldcat

Sep-3-2004 15:40

Couldn't people just tag something they want as private, like storing case files?

Dr. Falco Maltese
Dr. Falco Maltese
Well-Connected

Sep-4-2004 18:17

lol Yesterday three of the sleuths in our agency accidently logged off wearing our smarts gear. (I was one of them!) If all this other stuff is too complicated, what about a message when you are about to log off saying, "You are logging off wearing these four items, are you sure you want to log off?"

It wouldn't do anything to deter theft, but it would at least help the absent minded from annoying their colleagues.

Of course, log-off confirmation could be annoying - it's kind of nice that it happens automatically.

Another potentially easy solution to this would be
having all gear go into the locker when you log off - NOT in between all cases, just when leaving sleuth.

Again, this wouldn't help with theft, but it would
help the situation I described, I think.

The potential drawback is making the locker too full, I suppose - anyway, just throwing these ideas out there for consideration in the spirit of brainstorming...

Mike Mitchell 2
Mike Mitchell 2

Sep-5-2004 13:55

I kinda like the thought of some of those suggestions but, well ...

1) Maybe. I dont see it as a must since most people who withdraw are high ranking officials in the agency. Maybe we can overlook this one.

2) I can see 2 and 3 being related, not as seperate entries. A suggestion if I may, what about a item called a bag (backpack) which holds 1-3 items for the player different from the locker at the agency so if they ever decide to leave they can carry their items with them.

4) As handy as it seems, it may prove to be useless if the agency all gets along. Though the ability to not log out would save alot of items from being frozen in the long run. However I dont think this needs to be a must unless you make extra rare items which only 1 agency can earn during a hunt or something. In that case those flags would be handy from others thievery.

5) This one must be handled very carefully as bad directors can ruin sleuths (detectives) good rep. Another suggestion if I may, Under our profiles listing 3 reference names of those who could vouch for a detectives reputation. Indeed there are holes in my suggestion especially for newbies but if agencies work as businesses and have new people work towards promotions and earn the trust of the agency then maybe that plan could work.

Just my 20cents.
Thanks.

Bella Luna
Bella Luna

Sep-5-2004 22:26

I like Dr Falco's idea. 'you are logging off wearing these items so on.... Storing all members gear before they log off could potentially cause storage problems.

bigdoc
bigdoc
Nomad

Sep-6-2004 04:56

Couldn't work on rookies either since they couldn't get their stuff back without a chaperone. And some agents don't use the equipment locker much - for them it would be a real nuisance. But we have had the forgetfulness problem too, so the reminder would be nice.

Sleuth Admin
Sleuth Admin
Tale Spinner

Sep-7-2004 08:47

Items #1 and #2 have been implemented. Directors can now hire a computer controlled agency clerk for $1000 + $200 a day. The clerk keeps logs of all the activity in the equipment locker and office safe. Only Officers and Directors can view the clerk's logs.

I'm still trying to figure out how to do something like #4 where it won't be abused. Something that I'm worried about is directors/officers marking items as belonging to an agency against the wishes of the person who first put the item in the locker.

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