Curse

scyfer · Feb 23, 2007, 10:18 PM // 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by //RogueNine

I dont think they really changed the scoreboard at all, Im sitting on a 472797 and by looking at the rate of decrease at the bottom of the board, if theres 30+ slots to be open I should be on it, nevertheless someone that is at 4729xx (.2 sec off last score)

I agree - they haven't. 472501 (uncertain of the of the last digit) here and I'm having a hard time believing that 35 other people got within that range, but it was definitely a possibility (since 35 spots higher up is +650 so it's just on the border) - but with your score or with the 4729xx score, definitely not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draikin

That should have been enough, considering there were at least 30 places left. I still haven't heard of anyone outside of the top 100 getting a reward...

I haven't either - if anyone has, please post here. :/

//RogueNine · Feb 24, 2007, 04:31 AM // 04:31

I know this is probably not a priority as this is really only for about 35 or so people, but people did work really hard to get on that list. Since they said they were going to award the top 100 ACCOUNTS, I sure hope that they fix the list before the weekend is over or else I think were all SOL for getting the mini.

lursey · Feb 24, 2007, 08:30 AM // 08:30

is the reward guy going to reward beetle to the new top 100 list or just the old new year one?

and also, does the top 100 worldwide or each server has one top 100 list?

Dark Sentry · Feb 24, 2007, 09:59 AM // 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by lursey

is the reward guy going to reward beetle to the new top 100 list or just the old new year one?

and also, does the top 100 worldwide or each server has one top 100 list?

the old list

Im 99% sure theres only 1 top 100 list because im getting pms from a ton of euro players i cant understant what theyre saying and also asian players who i cant understand. the ones that do speak some english ask how i have the top score. Even though wiki says its per region i believe that to be inaccurate.

Hengis · Feb 24, 2007, 10:47 AM // 10:47

I am in London, playing on the european server and there most definitley is only one worldwide leaderboard, with Dark sitting firmly at the top closely persued by Dragou.

I am currently siting at about number 10! Woohoo! Now if only I had been able to put that run together last week.. Waaaaaa!!! LOL

Dragou Du Porzan · Feb 24, 2007, 04:34 PM // 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hengis Stone

I am in London, playing on the european server and there most definitley is only one worldwide leaderboard, with Dark sitting firmly at the top closely persued by Dragou.

I am currently siting at about number 10! Woohoo! Now if only I had been able to put that run together last week.. Waaaaaa!!! LOL

Yeah, I'm combating Dark with the "quantity-not-quality" approach.

And I noticed you there in the top 10, Hengis! Awesome run!

Regarding the top 100 and beetle rewards: there will not be any beetles (or any prizes at all) awarded for top scores this week. A lot of people have been asking about that in-game, so I think it's important to make a point of it.

What does seem likely to happen is that last weekend's top 100 list will be modified so that duplicate entries from one account are removed. That should allow a number of accounts with near-miss top 100 scores (~35 by my count) to get on the list, and it's my understanding that those accounts will then be awarded a beetle. Please do be aware that this is just my understanding and that, until it happens, no one is sure what ANet will do regarding the top 100 and prizes.

So if you know you've got a score from last weekend that was close to placing on the list, keep your eyes on the leader board and your fingers crossed!

Gaile Gray · Feb 24, 2007, 08:28 PM // 20:28

I want to apologize for not posting recently, but in fact I really have nothing new to offer just now. I will give you the latest, and hope some information--even if incomplete--is helpful:

I took the concern about prize distribution to the designers. I took it to the designers again. They do not have a concrete answer yet, as the matter is more complex than I had thought. My belief was that if someone was 101 on the ladder, and there were disqualifications above him due to multiple characters from a single account, he or she would get a prize. It was my belief that it would simply involve a visit to the NPC. But alas it's not set up like that.

The designers know of the concerns about prize distribution and multiples on the ladder. The took measures to assure that multiple prizes were not given to any one person. In fact, that's why the Top 50 changes to the Top 100 -- to assure that more people got prizes. By that I mean, if the top 100 had two duplicates each, at least 50 prizes would be distributed, which was the initial goal: To give 50 prizes. However, I believe that this was not how you read it, or how you understood it. In fact it was not how I read or understood it, either. (The issue here was that I didn't know I didn't understand it -- I thought the top 100 unique accounts would be given a prize. I suspect that's what you believed as well. And I'm sorry that we didn't have clearer info on that earlier.)

Nobody on the dev team wants to "cheat" someone out of a prize. We wouldn't take the time to make such an event to then snatch away rewards! The challenge, though, is figuring out if or how this can be brought to a reasonable conclusion. The ladder reflects multiples; I don't know what records there are for anyone not on that ladder page. If the programmers could cull standings at a certain minute -- the close of the Canthan New Year's Festival -- perhaps there is a way distribute more prizes. (The event leading to a prize is not extended, nor will the leaderboard for this weekend influence prize distribution, to the best of my knowledge.)

Pulling data from last week would require all sort of other mechanics, too, as well as what I believe would be a large amount of time. In all honesty, perhaps that cannot be done and perhaps those records don't exist. I don't know. It may be that those prizes distributed (or to be distributed through this weekend) at one per account on the Top 100 ladder are the only prizes that will be given. I am saying this not to be negative, not at all to dismiss your frustration with the situation or that outcome--if that ends up being the outcome--but only to be frank with you.

So in the end, this may change or may not change, depending on what we can do. I believe that the designers will be investigating next week and I have confidence that if they can work out a means to include a few more who placed in a high position during the Canthan New Year's Festival in the prize distribution, they will do so. I have offered to help in any way that I can. If and when I have more information, I will share it.

Dragou Du Porzan · Feb 24, 2007, 09:43 PM // 21:43

Thank you for the info, Gaile. Obviously the news is going to be disappointing to a number of us. I'm sure no one (who's reasonable) feels that the devs are trying to cheat people out of prizes. It's just a case of some miscommunication and misunderstanding - there's no one to blame, it's just a shame that it's working out this way. Getting updates like this (even when they're not what we want to hear) really does help, though. I didn't realize the original goal was to distribute 50 prizes, so in that light not reorganizing the top 100 makes some sense.

For my part, I'm extremely sorry for keeping some people from getting prizes. It's also worth mentioning that, with the news that additional prizes aren't likely to be handed out, the fundraiser for namkey (the forum member who lost his top 100 spot by creating a guide to help people improve their own racing experience) is still on. See this thread for details.

A Distant World · Feb 24, 2007, 09:54 PM // 21:54

Im sorry, but this whole event seems like it was poorly planned. I just dont understand why some of these things were not thought of BEFORE the event. When there is poor communication to the people that play the game, then I think it hurts the community as a whole. As I quote from the Guild Wars website... "... and the chance at one of 100 special prizes for the top times posted throughout the event. (Limit of one prize per account.)". If you state something like that then i believe you have to keep that promise. Dont say something like that if you cant live up to it. As far as i can tell... there have NOT been 100 special prizes awarded. It really makes me question the game and the people in charge. When things are not thought out ahead... it makes me look at a game or the people in charge in a different way.

scyfer · Feb 24, 2007, 11:51 PM // 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragou Du Porzan

I didn't realize the original goal was to distribute 50 prizes, so in that light not reorganizing the top 100 makes some sense.

It was advertised as top100, not top 50, tbh, so this "intention to distribute 50 prizes" is backpeddling on Anet's part. Pretty much what A Distant World said - it was stated in one specific way, and then changed later on. I don't care about any prize but what I do care about (as ADW mentioned) is the state of the people running & organizing this game, and the way future events like this will be handled. It does seem poorly planned, and attempting to re-use challenge mission code for a new type of event, while it simply can't be that hard to have coded a top 100 times and a top 100 accounts/users list side by side, and ahead of time. So next time: have that code in place, have a clear deadline for when the event ends (some people thought it was at the end of the New Year festivities, not noon, etc), and examine any loopholes (international district should not exist in competitive events like this that are solo) & bugs present this time around.

Thanks for the input, Gaile, it's pretty much what I figured, and it's out of your hands.

Draikin · Feb 25, 2007, 01:14 AM // 01:14

Thanks for the clarification, but I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't understand the logic behind the 50 prizes turning into 100. The most disappointing part is that I highly doubt anyone is going to write a guide on how to play a mini game anymore when there are rewards at stake. I doubt that was the intention but nevertheless that's what we've learned from this. The solution would have been easy though: just give the prize to anyone who reached a certain score for example more than 470k. That way namkey would still have gotten his beetle while helping others by writing a detailed guide, top 100 players like Dragou wouldn't have had to worry about getting multiple scores since they wouldn't unintentionally prevent others from getting the reward, and everyone would have had a chance at getting one regardless of what scores the top players were getting. Unlike now when everyone is disappointed: the people outside the top 100 that should still have gotten their prize and also the top 100 players because they never intended to race others out of the top 100.

VolgaDrunk · Feb 25, 2007, 01:29 AM // 01:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaile Gray

the initial goal: To give 50 prizes.

In the words of Penn and Teller: Bull----!

You ask us to believe that it was all part of the plan, in order to give out 50 minipets, the rewards NPC was set to give a beetle to players on a top 100 list?? This event was a fiasco, made all the worse by this crude attempt at resolution, a WEEK after the fact. I hope whoever was responsible for this revisionist "solution" gets fired.

ObiWan07 · Feb 25, 2007, 01:54 AM // 01:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by VolgaDrunk

In the words of Penn and Teller: Bull----!

Read This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...07&postcount=1

Quote:

Prizes

One more thing that Colin mentioned was that there would be an in game prize for the top 50 people based on winning times in the Rollerbeetle Race. I think they said it would be a special mini-pet. If only 50 people ever get these they I imagine they will be quite rare and valuable!

A Distant World · Feb 25, 2007, 02:11 AM // 02:11

It doesn't really matter what Colin said. The fact is that they stated on their official site that their would be 100 of these unique prizes given out. Now it is time for them to live up to what they said, and if they have no way to figure this out then they need to do something to make it up... in my opinion.

//RogueNine · Feb 25, 2007, 03:18 AM // 03:18

Wasnt it originally top 50 then they said that the top 100 would be getting prizes instead? Thats what I remember. Anyways, thanks for taking the time to get more info on this, Gaile. I, and probably many other appreciate that it IS being looked into. I do hope that it does get resolved in a good way, as I think there will be more than just those after the immediate top 100 dissappointed.

Im thinking that all someone has to do is ammend the list that the prize giver sees by eliminating duplicate entries, as hes probably feeding off of the top 100 time results as it is right now. I do have a bit of programming background but I guess im not certain in how exactly it was set up. Anyways hopefully this does get sorted out!

XtopassassinX · Feb 25, 2007, 07:14 AM // 07:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObiWan07

Read This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...07&postcount=1

Read This:
http://www.guildwars.com/events/inga...ar/default.php
And This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...72#post2569672
And This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...28#post2564128
etc. etc.
if some random comment from a dev meet (reported secondhand, yet!) turns out to be more reliable than the official news...
well, lets just say this is simply the latest and greatest of ANet's disappointing miscommunications...
what a complete mess...

Hengis · Feb 25, 2007, 02:09 PM // 14:09

A lot here depends on how the high scores are tracked. With tens, if not hundreds of thousands of races being run, I doubt very much if every race time was recorded.

It is much more likely that only the top 100 scores were ever kept and any score falling off of the bottom of the table was probably deleted from the records.

Trying to establish what those scores actually were might not even be possible now, or if it is it could be one hell of a lot of work.

This is going to suck big time for anyone who was close to the high scores, as it is possible they will never know if they would have won a beetle or not.

I don't usually criticise ANet, but this really is unacceptable. There are so many ways this could have been handled better.

Simply having a high score table with for example 1000 entries, but only giving a prize to the top 100 individual accounts would have been simple. It might also have encouraged those who got onto the lower part of the table to keep trying.

Only recording the fastest time per account is another method that could have been used.

I appreciate Gaile's honesty in her post though, but for others like myself who still had that small hope that we may have somehow crept into the bottom of the table it is rather disappointing to see that we may never know.

ObiWan07 · Feb 25, 2007, 03:39 PM // 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtopassassinX

Read This:
http://www.guildwars.com/events/inga...ar/default.php
And This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...72#post2569672
And This:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...28#post2564128
etc. etc.
if some random comment from a dev meet (reported secondhand, yet!) turns out to be more reliable than the official news...
well, lets just say this is simply the latest and greatest of ANet's disappointing miscommunications...
what a complete mess...

I just wanted to state that it really was initially planed as a top 50 not a top 100.