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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.

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.

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.

Sep-7-2004 10:00

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.

Also maybe even adding a the option of gift to agency that way there is not confussion.

that means when a item is obtained you can click on privit open or gift.

Sep-7-2004 11:04

This is a great step in the right direction, but it still wouldn't prevent someone from stealing out of the locker and then quitting the agency. As far as flagging a certain piece of equipment, can't the person who donated the equipment to the locker have the option of making it a permanent piece of equipment? And if that person decides to quit they are only able to sell their own equipment?

Sep-7-2004 11:57

Right now, the game doesn't flag who initially puts an item in the locker. All of the options that cause flagging of agency items are significant amounts of work.

Doing some kind of "Private" or "Officer/Director Only" flag would be easier, but probably less useful.

Sep-7-2004 14:21

What we are instituting at Lone Wolf is when we hire, we promote to Agent, allow them to take one outfit while we watch, then demote them back to Rookie. They could steal the one outfit, but not wipe us out this way. Not a perfect solution, but we think a step in the right direction.

Nov-20-2005 00:38

When could we expect #4??

Nov-20-2005 11:35

Porno- this were options and Ben chose the current situation after they were disscused.