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The Shady Relief Fund
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The Shady Relief Fund
The Shady Relief Fund

Jul-2-2016 05:35

The Shady Relief Fund (hereinafter "the Fund") is a fund organized to help provide financial assistance to detectives owing between $500,000.00 and $1,000,000 to the Shady Character due to False Accusations.

The rules are simple:

1. To receive assistance you must contribute to the Fund a set amount monthly (amount to be determined).

2. You must have 2 False Accusations on your record before the Fund will pay monies towards your Shady fee.

3. The Fund will only pay half of your total Shady fee as per Shady's associate in Delhi.

4. The Fund will only provide assistance to a detective once in a 12 month period. If you apply for assistance from the Fund and are approved, you will not be eligible to receive assistance from the Fund for the next 12 months. However, if you wish to receive assistance from the Fund at the end of that 12 month period, you will be required to continue making monthly contributions during the deferral period.

5. You must have been a member of the Fund (i.e., contributing to the Fund on a monthly basis) for six months before you can apply for financial assistance.

6. You may make your monthly contributions by wiring money to The Shady Relief Fund from your nearest financial institution.


Replies

Autumnsprings
Autumnsprings
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 10:30

I like the ideas of a bank account, bank loans, having safes in our apartments, and having a place to post for help. I, too, recently had to visit shady. And thankfully I had friends come to my rescue. I fully intend to pay them back as soon as I can, but newer detectives may not have that network to fall back on. For them a bank account (with a small amount of interest) could be the answer.

When a detective accrues a set amount, let's say $100,000 or so, they could get a sleuth mail that they've been invited to open an account at the bank. Interest rates could be determined by experience or age, or they could be the same for everyone with occasional adjustments, either up or down.

This could be available to unsubbed as well as subbed detectives. Subbed detectives are usually part of an agency (except for a few brave souls who go it alone) and one of the perks of being in an agency is getting financial help when needed. However, not all agencies are able to pay a significant portion of Shady's fees given their detectives' xp.

I think Shady is integral to the game. Without him, there would be no consequence to guessing - and guessing wrong. There would be no agonizing decisions when you *think* you really know who it is but just aren't quite sure. "There would be no fear" as a friend put it. And that fear, that hesitation, is absolutely FUNDAMENTAL to the game. If this is implemented there would be no fear.

And at that point, why even have shady? Why keep track of FAs at all? If people want something to change about Shady, perhaps one of the financial suggestions already mentioned could be implemented. Or the retirement level could be increased. Maybe 5 FAs instead of 3. (I prefer the banking ideas for what it's worth.)

But I have to say that while this idea looks good on paper, I don't think it would work well. Also, just a small note....to be continued

Autumnsprings
Autumnsprings
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 10:30

I don't think you have a backer. I think you *are* the backer. You are a regular player. You've been playing for a long time. You know about the cap. You know about the unretire option. You spend time in the boards. (I'm pretty sure I know where "Puck" Shady came from thankyouverymuch.) You also know that Secret_Squirrel is in a position to verify this. It's not fair of you to put him in that position. By doing that you are, whether intentionally or not, putting him in a proton of vouching for you or "vetting" you. I think you should just come right out and tell us who your detective is. Don't play games. If you want to do this then do it in YOUR name.

Autumnsprings
Autumnsprings
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 10:42

It kind of seems like you disapproved of admin (aka the sleuth gods) starting us on this slippery slope but now you've hopped into a toboggan for a ride down it!

jroepel
jroepel
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 11:16

Autumn asked me to read this thread. While I don't really play anymore, I have been playing EVE Online now for way to long to not smell a scam. Not saying that you are actually scamming. I don't know you, and heck... I don't really play. But this just feels so much like a Jita local scam in EVE. Sleuth was never like that when I did play, but my eyes have been opened to other aspects of gaming since I have been playing EVE. Even if everything is legitimate here, you still have to consider what happens when the fund has a bunch of money in it. Temptation is powerful, and you shouldn't rule out the long con. I also think there is something to the argument that has been made about not further diluting the purpose of Shady in the game.

Anyways, feel free to disregard what I have said since I don't really play anymore. (Autumn runs my characters now.). Now to return to my self imposed sabbatical/retirement. :0)

--Justin

The Shady Relief Fund
The Shady Relief Fund

Jul-3-2016 11:37

A relief fund IS the community helping one another. It's basically a pool of money held in trust for the contributing members until they have a need of it with a governing entity or board. That way, when someone has a need they can apply to an impersonal entity rather than having to go about asking their neighbors for help. And indeed their neighbors (those contributing) actually have already helped.

I wasn't trying to be disingenuous in my opening post. Yes, The Shady Relief Fund and me, "the backer" are the same. However, since "I" (a part of the community) would (if such a thing as the Fund were implemented), in the beginning, be investing my own personal finances in the Fund, I wish to be anonymous. I believe most people when applying for relief would rather apply to an anonymous "entity" than someone known to them.

I wasn't asking Squirrel to rubber stamp the Fund, merely confirm that the avatar The Shady Relief Fund is tied to a long-time player of Sleuth. However, I have every confidence that if Squirrel thinks that would be unethical he will refuse to do so.

Autumn I again thank you for your honesty in your posts. You are obviously passionate about Sleuth and protecting those you care about.

BadAss
BadAss
Charioteer

Jul-3-2016 11:50

To be honest, just having your detective retire and start with a clean slate would probably be much easier. Instead of having to go through all this hassle and with the shadow (pun intended) lurking all the time if this may be a scam or not.

I can only speak for myself but if I do get an FA it's not because I wanted to guess or didn't understand the game mechanisms. It's because of a stupid distraction or loss of concentration at that moment. There have been other things implemented over time as well to bring that edge. Like bringing in those pirates for instance. I never asked from them but I wouldn't want to count all the cases that I lost to them (cases I paid for btw). I realize there's a way to go around that but it will still take a considerable amount of time to get there.

I helped out players before with FA's and didn't even expect them to pay me back. Likewise I've also been helped out myself. There's nothing wrong with some good old fashioned charity. Just like there's nothing wrong with building up insurance. The main practical problem however that I do agree with is to guarantee the pay out if too many players at the same time come knocking at the door when they all got their second FA.

Autumnsprings
Autumnsprings
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 20:23

*sigh*

I had a nice, well worded, well thought out post and it poofed into the ether. Dagnabbit. Oh well. Here's what I remember. (Which, given that you're probably tired of hearing my big ole mouth, is probably more than you want, lol.)

First off, I want to commend you on how you are reacting to the criticism you're receiving here. I think it's commendable that you're not all "well phhhbt! I'm taking my toys and going home!" While I believe most, if not all, of the criticism you're receiving here is constructive (and I know all of mine is), criticism, constructive or not is criticism. And criticism hurts and is hard to hear. You're reacting to it admirably.

Now with that out of the way, I think the biggest issue we, in general, (and me specifically) have is this bit:

"It's basically a pool of money held IN TRUST for the contributing members...."

You're asking us to trust you with our money when you won't even trust us with your name. I understand your concerns and would have them myself if I were in your position.

And while I have no doubt that if you were not on the up and up, and squirrel did investigate you, he would absolutely bring it to the forefront, I still believe it should not be his place. He should not have to bear that.... burden, for lack of a better word. The onus should not be on him. It should be on you.

If you want your anonymity, create a new detective, spend some time building him or her up, and then reintroduce this initiative under that name.

Yes, it would take time and effort and probably a sub, but that would simply prove to us that you really are doing this to help the community. And I think you are. I think you care about this community. I think this is well-intentioned and comes from a good place. I don't think you're a shyster if for no other reason than that it would be a lot of effort for not a lot of pay off. Not to mention you would probably be added to the list of IPs benned permanently from this site, which I'm thinking is quite a short list.

But. (continued...)

Autumnsprings
Autumnsprings
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 20:23

But. (continued...)
Dratted character limit.
But. I agree with people who have suggested other, less risky, less work intensive suggestions and those who have said that most of the detectives in your target audience don't really need insurance. Not because they don't make FAs, but because they usually have a network of people who will help them, even without being asked. I mentioned earlier that I recently had to visit the back of the bar and had an outpouring of support that astounded me given my recent absence.

I didn't ask one of those people for financial help and once people began offering I tried to turn it down. I simply mentioned that I was stunned and a little afraid because I was in a villain hunt at the time, and was asking for advice. Everyone who helped me, did so without me asking for money. It never even entered my mind to ask for money. I simply know we all deal with it and there were probably some pretty good strategies that they knew that would help me.

Yes, there are people who will not even do that, or who have absolutely no contacts on here. (although I can't imagine! Sleuth for me is a very social thing. I tend to talk a lot. I bet that surprises you huh? 😉).
However I think those people are very few. And probably would not be enough in number to generate the kind of money needed, especially if there was a rush of FAs.

To wrap up (I heard that sigh of relief!) I think you mean well. I simply don't think this is the best way to go about helping people the way you want to help them.



The Shady Relief Fund
The Shady Relief Fund

Jul-3-2016 21:02

After reading the opinions posted here and conferencing with my board of advisors, I believe that the trust issue is not one that can be overcome. And since those who have posted seem to have no opposition to lending, The Shady Relief Fund shall convert itself to an interest free lending institution. Terms and Conditions will be posted on The Shady Relief Fund's biography in the near future.

I thank you all for your input.

Sincerely,
Puck Shady
President of The Shady Relief Fund

shell marple
shell marple
Con Artist

Jul-3-2016 21:55

Umm if you want to lend out your money to those who would like to use it, that is very commendable.
Although I still don't understand why you feel there is a great need for this service in the first place.
I could understand, if players would lose their detective permanently if they couldn't pay off Shady. But we can reinstate our detectives, and in my opinion the cost of doing so is no big deal. I fully enjoyed reestablishing my contacts, and loved playing AI cases without my contacts. It was a challange, when little in the game is extremely challenging. Also as many have stated this community is closely knit, kind and generous. So basically we are already helping each other out, quietly and without fanfare.

To be honest, I was not surprised by the opinions expressed here. I tried setting up a dedicated pay Shady fund in my agency. Every single detective politely declined the suggestion. Most felt that their detective was their responsibility, and really wanted to pay Shady off by their own hard work. They felt that having that safety net would take the pressure off them as players, and ultimately lead to more FA's.

Best of luck to you in your endeavour to help the citizens of sleuth.

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