Curse

dread pirate fargus · Aug 08, 2007, 06:54 PM // 18:54

i decided (with a nudge from nursing assistant) that its about time something is done about the whole post-dragging thing. its just dispicable. so i emailed support about it.

the problem is all to do with a few people who give a party invite, pretending to either be a friend of the target, or a new player seeking aid, and then accepting the quest from sir tydus and 'dragging' the target out of pre, through the academy, and into post searing, therefore ruining hours of hard work.

Many people are currently going for the Legendary Defender of Ascalon title, or simply consider themselves to be 'Perma-pre characters' that means PERMANANTLY in pre of course. they dont want to leave pre for any reason yet are being forced by unscrupulous people with nothing better to do.

i explained this to support and here is the response...

start at the bottom section and read up, the newest stuff is at the top.

Quote:

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

To update this question by email, please reply to this message in the designated space below. Text entered into any other part of this message will be discarded.

[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]

We are continuing to work on your issue. If you have more information, update your question here

Subject
Maliciously 'dragging' characters through the academy (unwillingly)

Discussion Thread
Response (GM Stefania) 08/08/2007 10:50 AM
Hello,

Thank you for contacting Guild Wars Support about this.

We encourage you to consider posting your suggestions/feedback on one of many of the Guild Wars Fansite message boards. A compiled list can be found on the official Guild Wars web site at http://www.guildwars.com/community/fansites/. By posting on one of these message boards, other players can comment on your ideas, concerns, and suggestions, and Development Team members are able to catch up on what the community wants to see in Guild Wars. Fansite forums make it easy and efficient for us to learn from those playing the game.

Thank you for your efforts in assisting us to make Guild Wars the best gaming experience possible.

Please feel free to contact the support team again if you encounter any other problems.

Regards,
GM Stefania

Guild Wars Customer Support
NCsoft Europe
http://www.guildwars.com

Customer (J. Hattersley) 08/07/2007 07:06 PM
Hi, this question regards specifically to the 'pre-searing' tutorial area of the prophecies campaign.

It has recently come to my attention that at least 1 (possibly more) user has started 'dragging' characters through the academy and out of presearing forever. The main target of this are level 14+ 'perma-pre characters', in an attempt to ruin the progress and endless hours of hard work that goes into working towards the Legendary Defender of Ascalon title track.

The main methods of doing so seem to be either:
a) pretending to be a new player who needs an ally for the 'adventure with an ally' quest.
b) spoofing the character name of a well known member of the community, and pretending to be a friend of the target.

there have been multiple topics started about this on the www.presearing.com community fansite forum; please see the following topics for proof of what is happening, screenshots showing the offending parties, and more information on the subject.
http://presearing.com/index.php?opti...5&topic=4366.0
http://presearing.com/index.php?opti...5&topic=4294.0

i am requesting the following actions be taken;

1) the offending parties be subjected to whatever actions you deem neccesary, following the clear abusive behaviour... the main offending party being 'Tech T V' (allthough he seems to change his character names all the time, he has had many other spoof names but this seems the only static one)

2) something is done to prevent party members being unwillingly dragged to post-searing, such as making it neccesary for BOTH party members to agree before it can happen.

however, i appreciate that it is against your policy to accept game suggestions? so i was wondering if it would be useful to post a petition on several community fansites (such as www.presearing.com and www.guildwarsguru.com) and if you would consider making changes upon seeing the reaction from the community on this matter.

i must also stress, that this is not an issue that can be fixed simply by banning the account of the main offender here. this has been a long standing issue with presearing which has, until recently, been primarily caused by new players who did it by accident. (allthough there have certainly been many malicious attempts made to remove members of the community from presearing in this manner)

any feedback on this issue would be welcomed. thankyou very much for taking time to read this.
regards,
James

Question Reference #070807-002127
Product Level 1: Guild Wars Europe
Category Level 1: Rules and Policies
Date Created: 08/07/2007 07:06 PM
Last Updated: 08/08/2007 10:50 AM
Status: Critical
Department: Violation Report
PlayNC Account:
Game Account:
Operating System:
Character Name:

so as you can see, the best thing to do from here is to get as many people as possible to give there view on wether or not it should be possible to do this.

PLEASE NOTE this is NOT a thread to discuss further improvements you would like to see added, but it is instead a thread for you to give your opinion on this topic, provide evidence and understanding about the problem and to give opinions about what you would like to see done about this.

i also posted this at www.presearing.com (official fansite also) which can be seen at http://presearing.com/index.php?opti...5&topic=4449.0

wether or not anything is done about this is down to you guys. make your opinion well known please.

Seppi · Aug 08, 2007, 06:59 PM // 18:59

That's pretty messed up...
The simple solution to the problem would be to make it so that you must be the only player in your party in order to accept Tydus's mission.

That guy should get banned though. :X

TheRaven · Aug 08, 2007, 07:28 PM // 19:28

Wow, I haven't heard of that problem before. That's just evil!!

Personally, I think the simplest solution is the best one.....

Set a mission start countdown timer like most other missions have. Set it at 30 or 60 seconds and make the countdown timer window VERY BIG AND NOTICEABLE! This way if the victim does not want to leave pre, he has time to disconnect.

1 up and 2 down · Aug 08, 2007, 08:17 PM // 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRaven

Wow, I haven't heard of that problem before. That's just evil!!

Personally, I think the simplest solution is the best one.....

Set a mission start countdown timer like most other missions have. Set it at 30 or 60 seconds and make the countdown timer window VERY BIG AND NOTICEABLE! This way if the victim does not want to leave pre, he has time to disconnect.

That wouldn't be enough, what if someones screen loaded slow? So lets say that you get someone to open the gate for you then when you load into the explorable area it says you are connected but you still are on the loading screen? Then the puller could just map to ascalon start the timer and drag you to post before you have a chance to stop any of it.

So anyways /signed for some kind of box or something that makes sure both parties accept to go to post.

Kinn · Aug 08, 2007, 08:55 PM // 20:55

I've seen a number of high level perma-pres with no secondary profession. Obviously too late for those already with secondaries, but I'm assuming that they do that as a safety net to prevent them from being dragged into post.

[DE] · Aug 08, 2007, 08:59 PM // 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1 up and 2 down

So lets say that you get someone to open the gate for you then when you load into the explorable area it says you are connected but you still are on the loading screen? Then the puller could just map to ascalon start the timer and drag you to post before you have a chance to stop any of it.

That's impossible. When you're in an explorable area you can only map by yourself and can't take your party with you.

emoxcore · Aug 08, 2007, 09:44 PM // 21:44

/signed ^^

presearing.com rules!

1 up and 2 down · Aug 08, 2007, 09:45 PM // 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Phantom

That's impossible. When you're in an explorable area you can only map by yourself and can't take your party with you.

I ment rezone(you know, walk back in the portal

)....

Firebaall · Aug 08, 2007, 10:01 PM // 22:01

It's a really dirty trick. I feel for those that have been duped by this malicious practice. All my perma-pres are protected by having only one profession.

It shouldn't be a requirement for peace of mind. These people that are preying on the perma pre-searing community are attacking some of the very best ambassadors of the game.

Now there's a ripple effect of fear in pre-searing. Those, who at one time thought nothing of lending a hand, are now too fearful to even accept a party invitation from some new player simply looking for a partner to get the resurrection signet.

The easy fix is the second button removed from Sir Tydus' dialogue when there's a party ready to leave pre-searing. Easy change for the programmers.

/signed

P.S.

I think this is a situation that shouldn't be waived off to the fan forums by support. This isn't a game mechanic or balance issue. It's a direct attack on guild wars players. As such, I don't think this belongs in Sardelac either. It shouldn't be a mere suggestion to stop the attacks.

KiyaKoreena · Aug 08, 2007, 10:20 PM // 22:20

Edit: Got my question answered. It would be nice if when you closed GW before the vs battle ended that it would send you back to pre-Ascalon.

There is a counter, but it is dependant on how many others are crossing over. If there is no opposing people it goes very quick.

Neo Nugget · Aug 08, 2007, 10:25 PM // 22:25

Yea it really sucks. I read about on presearing.com about someone who was dragged out at lvl 19! It is horrible. Best idea is that you cant take someone with you to the academy.

/signed times a billion

i dont want to have to be a victim of this myself. Pretty please anet fix quickly:P

MithranArkanere · Aug 08, 2007, 10:26 PM // 22:26

THey do not add the time counter like in all the other missions?

They should add it, so you could log-off or something.

If there is a timer, it should be increased, or, since parties are only of two, change Sir Tydus dialogue to wait until the second character.

=HT=Ingram · Aug 08, 2007, 10:29 PM // 22:29

Two pretty basic solutions to keep this from happenieng.
1 : Don't accept a 2nd profession, then you can be force into the academy at all.

2: Don't party in Ascalon if you have 2nd profession commitment already.

Also its worth noting that if you see titus countdown. Disconnect and do not come back for 10 mins. You will still be in Ascalon. Of course if the new Rage quitter penalty system hits that could end up being bad for you later, but Its all in what you want to do.

vergerefosh · Aug 08, 2007, 10:38 PM // 22:38

Since as far as I knew you ended up with random people in the academy anyway, dragging someone through seems very cruel and unfair to me.

/signed, especially as I'm thinking of making a perma-pre, admittedly probably won't reach high levels, but I don't want to be "abducted" into post

darkangel921 · Aug 08, 2007, 10:43 PM // 22:43

/signed

I had a close call with this degenerate as well.

Div · Aug 08, 2007, 10:45 PM // 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kinn

I've seen a number of high level perma-pres with no secondary profession. Obviously too late for those already with secondaries, but I'm assuming that they do that as a safety net to prevent them from being dragged into post.

They're just saving secondary profession quests for the exp reward when they get to level 19...

OhCrapLions · Aug 08, 2007, 10:57 PM // 22:57

Why not just make a confirmation window for both members of the party? Like trading but to exit pre-searing.

Titan Undone · Aug 08, 2007, 11:05 PM // 23:05

The quest should definatly need to be accepted by both parties. Easiest way to prevent this.

/Signed

genofreek · Aug 08, 2007, 11:34 PM // 23:34

I had no idea people could do this. Why would you drag a permapre from their world? And c'mon, there's not even a countdown timer? That's dirty, man.

/signed for confirmation from both players/timer/warning of some sort.

dread pirate fargus · Aug 08, 2007, 11:44 PM // 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by genofreek

And c'mon, there's not even a countdown timer? That's dirty, man.

there is, but the problem is that it is often only 1 or 2 seconds, not even giving you time to react. you cant rezone once the timer starts you have to log out, and even after logging out, it doesn allways recognise that you have logged out until its too late.

and thanks for all the support people!
me being a legendary defender myself i know exactly how it must feel to be dragged out of pre, i spent allmost 10 months levelling myself (not exactly rushing i admit) and if someone ruined it i would be devastated. not that they ever will ^_^