"No Teaming" : It CAN be done

[jaywalker]

To sum up: It seems that MA agree, in principle , with the "No teaming" rule for Mayhem, but say that don't have the monitoring tools to implement it for this year's MM

Some of us disagree, and are not ready to give up.

This discussion is too time-critical to inhabit the back-end of a thread, so here are a few relevant quotes, to kick-start a new discussion on this question

The rules are as-is and will not change for this year's Merry Mayhem. It will most certainly change when the next Mayhem event comes along though.

We must be able to monitor and enforce the rules stipulated. If we just add such a rule in text it would be obeyed by 99% of the participants, but 1% would test and abuse it, ruining the event for everyone. FPC is requesting additional monitoring tools for future events though.

*sigh* I can understand that, but I fear that the event is ruined for those 99%, in any case

Consider: If a team of 12 can take part, that team will be unbeatable except by similar teams. Thus forcing participants to either team up or give up. Now , if you look at the horrendous costs reported by previous participants, it is clear that those costs will not be covered by the prizes, in general. given that you must now multiply those costs by 12, and split the value of the prize 12 ways. This is a huge disincentive to taking part at all.

Is it possible that some way around this can be found?

As you said, 99% would obey. And 100% were expecting to have to obey, and therefore planned accordingly. Would it not be possible to use whatever monitoring tools are already extant to just check up on the few leading avas? You would not need to monitor all of the avas all of the time. The probability of being caught if successful, plus the prospect of being disqualified when caught, should be enough to discourage cheating.

jay

Too late, the teams rule has ruined it already and even the participants who do win under this teams rule it will be a hollow victory.

Many people look forward to the merry mayhem all year and now because of this rule a very large percentage will not even compete.

Marco, FPC have made a horrible probably unintentional mistake. Have the forthright to admit this and rectify immediately.

It will do wonders to rectify faith in FPC rather than go down in EU as one of the companies worst mistakes.

Jung

But the event is already ruined. I spend quite a lot of time preparing for this because I thought I actually had a chance, but now that dream is gone. Even if I bought the biggest gun and the biggest amp I'm able to use, and mind you, I'm quite close to the top of my category, I wouldn't stand a chance. Only difference it would make would be decreasing my chances of not losing money, due to the amount of overkill I'd do and the uneco weapons I'd use.

It only takes 10 people in my category with friends to make my participation futile. So please tell me, why should I participate?

I realise that it's complicated. Even if teams are not allowed, people will be able to "bend" the rules, but at least there will be hope, even if it's only a fools hope.

I've always been one to defend MA/FPC, even when it wasn't really the right thing to do, because I know that doing what you do is no walk in the park and that people in general complain a whole lot more than they should, but this time I simply cannot. You've had a full year to learn from last years fiasco and what has happened? Nothing what so ever.

If I was level 1000 in all relevant professions and had all the best gear, I still wouldn't stand a chance and this pisses me off.


Merry Christmas

Ok seems to me Marco's response is a little disingenuous to say the least.

They will have to check each participant as they did last year that comes top and work down to find the top 10 in each category based on amount of time spent so that it is not over 30 hours.

They could also check whether at any point during the competition they were in a team.

This cannot be that difficult and would add a little extra time in checking but should not be much or put a couple of extra ppl on the case considering the value of prizes and the importance of the event to a lot of ppl.

Also, they said that they would monitor the event closely this year to ensure that it was fair for all.

Does this mean that they will be monitoring for participation in the wrong category also.

Please Marco could you post some more detailed and clearer clarification since I think we all deserve that.

And remember they do not have to check every participant but only those in top 10 of each category ... 40 players and if some have broken the rules lets say 80 at the most.

So a text rule is as good as any as a rule since the 30 hour rule is a text rule and is not enforcable without checking.
Regards

Zyloc

 

[Ze-Tomb Raider]

In my opinion, MA/FPC can easily see which participants are getting an unfair advantage by 'abusing' the teaming rule by either hiring some muscle or being hired as a looter to give the high level players an LA or a bunch of ped form helmet and armour set sales.

But seeing as MArco has not clarified that this is what they will be doing we just don't know and if I was skilled enough to participate, I definately wouldn't.

 

[Pricey]

I planned on going solo since i did last year and did rather well imo. Fact that it stuffs the little guys is abit s*** really is it not?? MA wonder why the suicide rate increases round the festive period LOL

But seriously, if they do not change the teaming rule it won't stop me going out and grinding feffs for 30 hours, if the team rule does not change and my soc decide they wna lend a hand then i guess it would only help me against the odds and it would not be against the rules....

Maybe we need the help from a higher power here, so....


Dear Santa,
I have been a good little avatar all year and hope upon hope that you may change the misguided MAs view on this rule and they change their Scrooge-like ways. I ask this not just for myself, but for all the avatars of calypso who have sweated and saved to buy shiny new toys for this festive periods mayhem event. Hoping you can save us in the 11th hour where others have not succeded even with the utmost determination and effort. Wishing you and all of Calypso a Merry Christmas,
Solcar Pricey Lazroc

 

[jaywalker]

As somebody pointed out on the other thread:

It wouldn't be the first time that MA changed the rules , last minute.

Nor would it be the first time that the player-base put their thinking caps on to haul the game out of a a crisis (remember the VU 10 download fiasco?)

Some good practical suggestions have ben made already (see the quote from Rumple above, for example)

Don't give up on this years' MM yet, guys.

jay

 

[Nobleone]

I came 3rd in my catagory in the 2007 Merry Mayhem....

I was a real noob then, but due to the efforts of my Soc mates I did quite well...

This years MM... I don't think so... I could, but I won't.... Because MA/FPC event rules have once again made it an uber-fest so that those with the deepest pockets will win...

If 5% of your customer base injects 90% of your income, would you look out for the noobs and mid level players who are the 95% of your customer base?

MA/FPC... Get a grip on reality... Your Uber 5% will die off sometime, so who ya gonna replace them with?

 

[DurakJung]

Just posted a link to Marco re this thread.

Keep on it is still not too late.

 

[Rumple]

well does not look like this will be changed this year

but bump to front and maybe FPC will have a change of heart and realise the unfairness of this.

 

[sunny]

We just have to wait 1 more year...

I have spent 11 hours on MM now and I might have seen 1 or 2 more avas that are not in a big team. Will be fun and c what place we will get at doing this alone.

 

[jaywalker]

We just have to wait 1 more year...

I have spent 11 hours on MM now and I might have seen 1 or 2 more avas that are not in a big team. Will be fun and c what place we will get at doing this alone.

we are gonna be hammered by those big teams, but will the statistics show it?

as far as MA are concerned, prize will go to the looting ava and there will be nothing to say whether they were in a team or not, so we'll just have to guess.

i wish tracker were doing a Mayhem scoreboard for this year. If they included teams as well as avas on the scoreboard (what other option would they have?) then the difference would be very apparent. I've noticed that the the leader in "Top five hunters" for cornu on Tracker is a 2009 Mayhem team, already! That is: that team has already scored more globals on cornu that anybody ever did, since tracker started (including last year's winners)

 

[DurakJung]

I am competing for 2 reasons.

1. Because I have no other plans for these 5 days after organising everything around being in the MM.

2. As a benchmark to further support the case to Marco/FPC in regards to teaming.

I am at the top of my level and will go over into the next catergory. I am hunting with a support team of 1 or 2 players equal to me. We are using high DPS weapons and I generally able to fire nonstop. When on, I do not need to fap and rarely ever leave the scene so our damage is very reasonable. Ped spending is enormous.

Having said that lets see were we come.

I sincerely think I will be flat out being near the top 10 even.

This will be a good test to see if a player and a couple of friends can go out have a good time and still have a chance of getting a place.

Jung

 

[jaywalker]

I am competing for 2 reasons.

1. Because I have no other plans for these 5 days after organising everything around being in the MM.

2. As a benchmark to further support the case to Marco/FPC in regards to teaming.

I am at the top of my level and will go over into the next catergory. I am hunting with a support team of 1 or 2 players equal to me. We are using high DPS weapons and I generally able to fire nonstop. When on, I do not need to fap and rarely ever leave the scene so our damage is very reasonable. Ped spending is enormous.

Having said that lets see were we come.

I sincerely think I will be flat out being near the top 10 even.

This will be a good test to see if a player and a couple of friends can go out have a good time and still have a chance of getting a place.

Jung

much respect to you for this, Jung
(was gonna =+rep you, but i gotta spread rep around first)

jay

 

[Henceforth]

yes this gave me some thinking also, how easy it is to have multiple ubers with uber gear in team to kill the mobs and an avatar with the skill qualification can just loot the mobs while on stackshare, so he will get the points and the ubers can grind though the low level mobs.


Its best to make it so that you have to do 100% damage to the mob to get it as confirmed kill. But then there will be spoilers again to shoot a few shots on your mob to make it not count.

anyway these events are mostly for the big spenders anyway.

And a comment on the big costs people have for competing, you just hunt like any other day only faster and more (perhaps more uneco because you use bigger guns with higher markup or unlimmiteds with lacking skills) but still its the same loot system.

 

[Bortog Donuts K]

My wife and I decided that we wanted to do this event for a couple reasons.
Her character is a hunter and mine is a miner so we are taking turns on her char. We have logged about 15 hours now and are having a blast. Mind you we are fairly new, we started playing in Feb. of 09 but took about 6 months off and just came back a month ago. She had just bought a RikerUL3 the day before the event and are just about ready to move to the BreerM4A. We are doing this event for the following reasons:

A: Skill gain. As I mentioned her gains are going through the roof with both of us paying attention to her char.

B: She had her first Global during this event, we have had 3 all together between today and yesterday. This made her ever more determand to keep it up. We are about even for the event so that helps.

C: We really want to see how well we can do on our own. Where we have been hunting the mobs have been good and very few people seem to come near us. We see a group about once an hour and they leave just as fast. Most of our kills are providers, guardians and doms.

D: Just to have fun. We really are enjoying ourselves. Thats why we play this game.

Good luck to everyone during the contest and lets see if we can crack the top 200. Her name is Calleigh Cal Maris

 

[Shavenna]

Hi there.

In my opinion this Event should be...


...a Solo Event, or split up in Solo and Team categories.

...graded in more categories (like 1-10,11-20,21-30,31-40....)

There are huge level differences at the moment, which i fear don't ensure a fair competition.


...the same for everyone. If you want a kill that counts for MM, you should actually have to do damage to the mob by yourself.

We should all be fine with those rules i think, at least i would.


Now i just wonder if the community will gratz the winners of this competition. Or if they do have to gratz themselfs


Happy new Year !

 

[DavinFelth]

not competing

I am not trying this year because of the team help, I dont' know how it was in the past as I wasn't playing then, but I have went to help my soc mate and they way it's going I would have little to NO chance of winning.... MAYYYYBE 10th place spot if I spent all 6 hours. The way it is going atm... it's all team help or you don't have a chance. Well at least when it is over MA can see the level of participants and maybe make changes.

 

[SpikeBlack]

we are gonna be hammered by those big teams, but will the statistics show it?

as far as MA are concerned, prize will go to the looting ava and there will be nothing to say whether they were in a team or not, so we'll just have to guess.

i wish tracker were doing a Mayhem scoreboard for this year. If they included teams as well as avas on the scoreboard (what other option would they have?) then the difference would be very apparent. I've noticed that the the leader in "Top five hunters" for cornu on Tracker is a 2009 Mayhem team, already! That is: that team has already scored more globals on cornu that anybody ever did, since tracker started (including last year's winners)

The scores and times for the top 200 of each category are supposed to be made available after the event has finished. I'm guessing there will be a big jump in points between the teams and the ones going it alone.

A few of us suggested 90% damage where you can claim the points for a kill weeks ago.

 

[jaywalker]

The scores and times for the top 200 of each category are supposed to be made available after the event has finished. I'm guessing there will be a big jump in points between the teams and the ones going it alone.

exactly, but the teams will not appear on the list as teams. only the looting ava's name will apppear, because the looting ava collects all the points (this was MA's justification for nort excluding teams, this year.their monitoring tools can''t tell the difference) so we will just have to guess which avas were really representing teams, won't we?

 

[Aziphirael]

Well decided to have a go, been wanting to skill up a few of my professions so was a good opportunity. Doubt I'll get far in the rankings but have been getting some good Globals on the mobs.

I'm going Solo in Category 1, so maybe that will help analyse the results when they come out. See if you can benchmark a solo player versus the teams. Theres definitely one big team in the area I'm playing in thats hoovering up mobs left, right and centre.

 

[Antsrare Ants]

It can be done for sure

Teams for merry mayhem has been great. I have met new people from all over the world and they have been really cool. MA made the event like this for a reason; so we can work together and form bonds. This has been the best Merry Mayhem of all time.

Yo what up to all my team members, I'll drink a cold one for you while I'm on vacation.


Thanks,

Ants

 

[gogo]

I've passed last years highest global count with a few hours to spare, and really doubt I'll be getting anything - but it was a fun (and costly) experience.

 

[jaywalker]

MA made the event like this for a reason; so we can work together and form bonds.

if they made it like this for a reason, why did they wait 2 years before letting it slip ( in a somewhat crytpic footnote, mind you )that teaming was possible? why didn't they just tell us outright in the first place? and why did annoy all the people who'd been looking forward to this all year, and planning towards it, by dropping that bombshell just one week before the event?

ah, i see, you had no idea of that did you? because you haven't followed any of the discussion here, have you?

so, your opinion is worth what, exactly?

PS Did you even read the OP? Because your opinion makes no sense at all in the face of that... unless you're calling MA liars