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Question about stats on the high score board
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Zanjana
Zanjana
Washed Up Punter

Nov-10-2006 17:12

I was just perusing the weekly high scorers (wow! you guys are amazing...) and was wondering just how it is possible to complete so many cases (200+!) in one week. By my count, 7X12 is 84, plus maybe another 4 favors per day - that still only makes 112, if you solved everything. Where are the other 100+ cases coming from?

Replies

Arabella Parker
Arabella Parker
Well-Connected

Nov-11-2006 16:20

For the newbies and people who do not know, assembly line solving cases means, opening a case, getting all suspects, checking your contacts for matching PE evidence, then storing it. Using another detective with different contacts to check and match the physical evidence, then accusing the only person who has a fake alibi that matched the PE. It is not about skill, but about being able to turn over case after case, over and over, doing the same thing day in and day out. You can rack up experience points by the truckload doing this method.

The question that it raises, is this really playing the game?


biggie528
biggie528
Lucky Stiff

Nov-11-2006 16:43

NO

In my opinion anyways. First of all, for the newbies, this is a BAD way to go about learning to play the game. You will need to be able to solve AIs on your own in order to Arch Villain Hunt, which is not only fun, but challenging AND gets you great Exp at the same time.

Second of all, its akin to using cheat codes on video games. Sure, you can use it, and you'll finish the game, but did you REALLY win? Or did you just take the easy way out?

Serges
Serges
Vigilante

Nov-11-2006 17:04

It's finally time for me to make my opinion known publicly on this issue.

There are detectives in this game that on average do 15-20 cases a day ABOVE not only what their personal limits are, but also including the amount of cases their rules-allowed agency "double" should be able to provide them.

My feeling is this:
If you are subscribed, in an agency, and have a double, the MAXIMUM amount of cases per week you can bring into the agency as a distinct player is 224. For people whose weekly high scores are in this range, are subscribed and have an agency "double", I cannot look down at those players seeing as they have paid to maximize their case availability.

When the weekly high numbers show a CLEAR and INDISPUTABLE discrepancy between generally recognized available caseload and (the drastically higher) number of cases as shown on the weekly high score list, there IS a problem. Players who are showing this degree of discrepency must be doing one of two things, as far as I can theorize:
1) Solving the cases of more than the rules-allowed one double under a single detective (according to the agency rule, this would be tantamount to cheating)
2)Solving the cases from other agency members on an established and regular basis under a single detective (which, though the rules don't expressly forbid it, I find it analogous to conning credit card numbers from the elderly). I use that negative analogy because I feel that players who utilize this method of caseload acquisition are in essence stealing rightfully-paid-for gameplay from their subscribed teammates.

I agree with Biggie's idea about limit maximum allowed cases per day; however I would change the system slightly.

Each detective should have a maximum daily case-solving limit of 32 if they are subscribed (12 caes+4 favors*2 detectives in an agency) and 8 if they are not (3 cases, 1 favor*2 detectives in an agency).

Serges
Serges
Vigilante

Nov-11-2006 17:08

For those that would complain that that system does not allow for solving additional cases in the case files for hunts, or rewards, etc. I will gladly point out that there is nothing stated ANYWHERE that mandates you solve your double's cases under your primary detective. If you want to solve "bonus" cases from the files, then leave yourself room from your double's caseload.

The status quo doesn't work. PAYING customers to this game are becoming irate. A long-standing generally-revered system for recognizing the greatest people to have ever played this game is rapidly becoming meaningless, obsolete, and to some, insulting.

I have further opinions on this, but in the interest of keeping this discussion civilized and non-biased, I will not express them publicly. If you want to know, I am happy to discuss my views in private to anyone.

Carrie Mehome
Carrie Mehome
Huntsman

Nov-11-2006 17:13

Well after all this talk I have to put in my two cents worth. Sleuth is an amazing game! In my humble opinion there is something for everyone! Your goals can be whatever you want. Some people come just to chat, do word games, pub quizzs and that type of stuff. I have met and had discussions with people from all over the world. Others like to be very active in an agency doing treasure hunts. Some like to plug along and do their own thing. Now others can go for that ever elusive villian! This game has got many people through very tough times in their life! It can help you keep your sanity on those long winter days. If your goal is to be number 1 on the most solved cases in one week, you can find an agency where all the games don't get played and spend your hours doing them. I personally have done that. Be it 70 games or 150 I was still #1 once. We go through these fazes and then it dies down for awhile. No one complained when woody1 or Hawkeye were doing 150 games a week. No one made any of the top players do what they did, it was their choice. Some agencies ask their agents to at least save some games if they can't play them. Eye Spy saves many levels of games for thier agents. This thread has went from a simple newbie question to picking apart some detectives for achieving a goal that they had. And biggie I agree that it is not good to do all those cases for the newbies but not to long ago a great many agencies banded together to help out a comrad by doing this and again it seemed all right then so why is it not all right now?
We all can have different goals and I will continue to pursue that villian that got away from Ben!

Remington Steel
Remington Steel
Con Artist

Nov-11-2006 17:27

I get enough private messages about this subject that I suppose it's time to step out of the shadows again and speak my piece. I appreciate all the thoughts and all the indignation diplayed on my behalf. You know who you are, and you reign supreme.

Point 1: Don't ever use the Top Score boards to assess your abilities. If you're achieving the goals that your detective needs and wants, you're on track. I had more fun at the Easy levels scrambling for new equipment and skills than I'm having now.

Point 2: You won't hear me complaining about the #1 race being an infraction of the rules. Obviously, anything that the game engine allows is "legal". My Remington Steel would be nothing without my Laura Holt, as per the source material, anachronism aside.

Point 3: The game has ceased to be fun for me. It's something I do, casually, because of my love of mysteries and the friends I've made here. But conglomerates crush any and every individual who hopes to get in the race. Small agencies and individuals are told to grab their ankles and take it.

In fairness to our illustrious Founders, the new Villain Hunts do give individuals a chance to shine a bit. It's not the game's fault that my life won't allow me to play every case I'm offered every day. I work more hours. I spend time with a beautiful woman. I don't have the time to give this game.

Forget the nickel-and-dime debates. Here's my question: How is the Sleuth community improved or the game more fun when an unsubbed detective uses a mega agency for a power play, doubling the high score holder's rank in a matter of weeks?

Is it a better place?

jasNmushu
jasNmushu
Well-Connected

Nov-11-2006 17:51

Personally I agree with Carrie. It's each individual person's choice what they want to do with their detective. Let's just leave it alone and continue to have fun and sleuth. If your not having fun, then maybe it's time to move on?



Serges
Serges
Vigilante

Nov-11-2006 17:57

you know jasNmushu, you bring up a good compromise. Maybe all the paying active members of this community should stop playing, stop paying, and take our subscription money elsewhere, if we feel that certain player's "cheating" the system is bad for the game. That would be a much better solution than to try to solve the problem so that the game is better and encourages MORE people to pay to play it.

biggie528
biggie528
Lucky Stiff

Nov-11-2006 18:04

I wholeheartedly agree with Serges' assessment, both in the above post and the one earlier.

Carrie, I see what youre saying, but I think everyone in the game has, at one time or another, worked extra cases for a hunt favor, or some other reason. I'm not saying it should NEVER happen, but I think 32 cases is a VERY reasonable number of cases for a single person to work.

It taking that system, and abusing it, beating it til it bleeds that gets me going on this issue. You work over 220 cases a week, you are not only taking away from the people who work hard with the cases they are ACTUALLY entitled to, you are completely monopolizing any chance of ANYONE catching up to you. If that makes you feel good, then great, but its makes the rest of us feel like crap.

As far as what Jas said....we are supposed to walk away and just forget about a game we ALL love to play so that people who DONT pay can have their run? Just not fair. I pay for the right to play this game. They don't. Period.

jasNmushu
jasNmushu
Well-Connected

Nov-11-2006 18:26

I simply said that if you are NOT having fun anymore than move on...I never ever said that if your a paying subscriber to walk away.

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