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May-25-2004 21:22

As of now, you should not be able to get two contacts that both help with physical evidence. Nor, should you be able to get two contacts that don't help with physical evidence. So, if your first contact was one of the evidence experts (Barber, Tailor, Shoe Maker or Banker), your second contact will not be another person from that group. Conversely, if your first contact is not from that group, your second one will be.

To even things up. I'm also adjusting those detectives who already have two contacts. I'm reassigning the second contact of those of you who already have two, if they are either both evidence experts, or neither evidence experts.

Does that make sense?

May-26-2004 17:11

Thank you for the change, Sleuth Admin. I was stuck with 2 low-value contacts before the change. The funny side is, now I'm stuck with 1 low-value contact and 1 zero-value contact - until I learn to pick up threads. But I'm still not complaining :) I'll just have to pick up that skill next.

May-26-2004 18:25

Ben, I did not complain about my contact changes, just to set the record straight. In fact, I applaud you making this change. It was, in my opinion, very long overdue.

I do object to you using the word "unfair" becasue 1) I disagree that it was/is unfair. Everyone had the same opportunity to recognize the value and select favors accordingly. The fact that many didn't isn't unfair.

2) I don't think you really believe it is/was "unfair" either. If you did, you really should have fixed it right away.

3) Your use of that word taints any game performance that preceded the change. I find that bit the most objectionable.

May-26-2004 23:01

I believe that probably the system is more "fair" this way and it should be like this from the beginning. Noone would object if everyone started playing with these rules.

I'm just arguing that the change itself is probably unfair to some of us who actually cared to do some planning on our contacts beforehand.

Anyway, I understand that most people didn't care/think to do this planning beforehand and didn't like the fact that they ended up with useless contacts (it's NOT unfair, they just didn't think about it). So there was a large number of people asking for this change and you had to do it.

If I can have the right to choose which of my previous contacts I can keep (barber or tailor) I would prefer the tailor, so if you can change that it would be great.

May-26-2004 23:19

Ben, just a little frustration on my part is all. I had a Treasure hunt favor come up with 2 thread clues and then I suddenly realized I had lost the Tailor contact. Just caught me by surprise, thats all. I realize that you can't keep everybody happy all the time. You have made a great game here and have been very open to suggestions from the players and it is much appreciated. Didn't mean to sound like a whinner...it was really just more of a surprised reaction.

May-27-2004 09:25

Oh, I don't blame anybody for being upset about this kind of retroactive change. Any kind of rule change that effects what people have already earned is going to be an inexact science. Your detectives represent a huge investment of time for all of you, as does the game itself, for me. It won't do the game any good if players are afraid they might lose the in-game rewards they have worked so hard for.

I hope that everybody can live with the compromise of being able to choose which contact you lost. Let me know, if you'd like me to switch yours. And if you still have a complaint about the whole contact situation, please speak up.

May-27-2004 09:39

Fat Chuck,

I am very sorry about implying that you said something you didn't. Also, I regret using the term "unfair". Being able to pursue a strategy that maximises your chances of success in a game is the whole point of a game.

That said, I still need to be able to make changes to the rules, if I think doing so will help everybody enjoy the game more.

As to whether or not making a change like this diminishes the accomplishments made before the change, I don't think they should. You are all just playing the game within the current scope of the rules. I do not consider anything outside of URL/browser manipulation to be cheating , and even in those cases, I think the onus of fixing the problem lies on me as the developer, not necessarily the players.

Message boards a tricky medium, it's difficult to state everything right the first time. I made the initial change at player request (and tod o what I thought was best for the game). When I made that change, I got several complaints from other players who felt slighted. In attempting to explain to that second group of players why I felt the change was necessary, I inadvertently insulted you, Chuck, so there we go. It's not what I intended to do from the start, and I'm sorry.

May-27-2004 09:50

Give Sleuth Admin a break, everyone.

But I'm sure everyone didn't mean to be hard on you, Admin. Some of us are feeling a little frustrated so it is understandable.

So far, I haven't said anything about this. But let me share my experience.

I got the Fortune Teller as my 1st contact very early, and then I use the "quit favour" strategy to try to land a 2nd key contact. Guess how long it took me?

I got my Shoe Maker only at about 160000+ EXP points! And then, the next week, the changes to the contact policy were made. This means that I had been wasting my time quitting favors when I could easily get a 2nd key contact from this policy change.

Therefore, you could say all my efforts went to waste. In fact, upon reflection, all my dogged insistence on quitting favors and trying for a 2nd key contact seem so silly.

But I didn't complain at all, and I'm not going to. Now, the changes have made it "fair" (whatever that means) for everyone.

So Sleuth Admin, there's no need to apologise for this. We'll all have to accept it, and I'm sure in time, we'll all learn to.

:)

May-27-2004 10:36

I think I said something like this before, when we were discussing how to make the switch from beta to a subscription service.

I am not at all insulted by having people argue over how the game is developed. It is a very good sign that people care enough to complain. In particular, it proves that even people who have been playing for several months, still care enough (and are entertained enough) by the game, to have strong feelings, one way or another, about those changes.

I hope that I don't upset anybody else, when I choose to argue back, and defend decisions that I've made or am planning to make.

May-27-2004 14:03

Are you sure you're not whining just a little Kitten? : )

May-27-2004 15:13

Thank you Ben, that was very nice of you. I really do think the game is run well and it is quite enjoyable. Please accept my apologies if I was reading too much into your words.