Guild Wars 2

As a web and java developer myself, as well as a player who has come across several in game bugs and inconveniences, it astounds me that developer time is being spent on developing a roleback system that will completely roleback an entire account to a certain point in time that accounts were saved (probably only once or twice a day). This system, I would assume, will require a system to record account information and save it like a backup file to disk, whenever automatic saving is done.

This system is incredibly inefficient and possibly even more damaging than what I may ask to have fixed on my account. Say I accidentally deleted my Twilight legendary sword. I put in a support ticket (assuming you also don’t have in-game GMs yet either..), I now have to wait upwards of 24 hours and in some cases several days before I get a response. My only option here is to not make any progress on any of my characters until I receive help and my account is rolledback, or lose all that progress in the mean time.

Here is how this system should work:

Every action and manipulation of an item a character does is logged. Vendor transactions, mail, trading post, transmutations, etc. Each of these actions need to be individually logged so that they can individually be undone, investigated, or modified.

Logs can be purged every 5-10 days or so, so as not to take up too much database space. This system can easily interface with the server’s API and maybe even be accessible to your mods from their website accounts (with added security of course).

Attached is a rough mockup I did of how this system could work. I believe this is the type of tool you want as a company to control the data in your game. You guys should have complete control over every aspect, but what you are designing now limits what you can do with your own product. That’s not the ArenaNet way.

PS: I also don’t believe for a second that in 6 years of development you not once created a tool that can give your character gold. You did not grind gold or karma when testing a new vendor you added to the game. Don’t lie to us saying you don’t have that capability.

Also, there are AT LEAST 5 threads on the first page of this forum that have had item or gold issue, and currently your only answer is “Sorry, nothing we can do”. That will not be tolerated forever and it feels like you don’t really want to help people that have issues because that may hurt gem store sales. If that is the case, I would rather pay a subscription any day than have everything I can do in the game be influenced on using the gem store. I have spent around $160 in the store already because I enjoy the convenience of getting some quick gold when I’m in the mood to craft or something. That’s ok because that’s my choice, but please don’t inconvenience me in some way on purpose to force me to buy something to replace losses or otherwise.

Some of what I say is from the beta discussions aswell.

Masterpyro.4310:

As a web and java developer myself, as well as a player who has come across several in game bugs and inconveniences, it astounds me that developer time is being spent on developing a roleback system that will completely roleback an entire account to a certain point in time that accounts were saved (probably only once or twice a day).

The system at the moment only takes a snapshot of the account, not the characters because it was originally designed for hacked accounts.

Masterpyro.4310:

This system, I would assume, will require a system to record account information and save it like a backup file to disk, whenever automatic saving is done.

Partially implemented as you will be able to restore your account when it becomes available.

Masterpyro.4310:

Say I accidentally deleted my Twilight legendary sword. I put in a support ticket (assuming you also don’t have in-game GMs yet either..), I now have to wait upwards of 24 hours and in some cases several days before I get a response. My only option here is to not make any progress on any of my characters until I receive help and my account is rolledback, or lose all that progress in the mean time.

The system was originally designed for only compromised accounts, I’m hoping it will still be as it’s open to abuse.

Masterpyro.4310:

Here is how this system should work:

Every action and manipulation of an item a character does is logged. Vendor transactions, mail, trading post, transmutations, etc. Each of these actions need to be individually logged so that they can individually be undone, investigated, or modified.

This system can easily interface with the server’s API and maybe even be accessible to your mods from their website accounts (with added security of course).

Attached is a rough mockup I did of how this system could work. I believe this is the type of tool you want as a company to control the data in your game. You guys should have complete control over every aspect, but what you are designing now limits what you can do with your own product. That’s not the ArenaNet way.

Open to abuse, sending/trading with people just to grief them. It can probably be used to exploit the game, for example sell an item to get gold, buy a new item with the gold, undelete item to get the sold 1 back.
I think most things are logged.

Masterpyro.4310:

PS: I also don’t believe for a second that in 6 years of development you not once created a tool that can give your character gold. You did not grind gold or karma when testing a new vendor you added to the game. Don’t lie to us saying you don’t have that capability.

I’m sure it’s like GW1 where they had the test krewe server where they could spawn things to test, but on the live servers all of it was removed.

All of that would be seen though in the logs. And obviously abuse of this system would result in a ban. Either way it is way better to have a system that they can control completely than something with little control at all.

If there is a bug that loses some items/gold of someone, they should be able to replace it, not say tough luck we cant and forget about it.

Sure theyll do that, if you want to give them the money each month to provide for developing the system, keeping it running, as well as hiring additional CS staff.

Remember, the MMO’s that have this feature have a subscription which fiances it. This game doesnt, so it only has limited features… for now.

So you are saying that their Trading Co. cash shop is not reason enough to make changes to account security? I’m sure it was in their mind to make profit further along the way after the retail release.

I just don’t buy it that Anet and NCSoft would resort to something unethical after all the time and effort trying to perfect the game. The franchise deserve a solid and respectable business policy if it wants to stay afloat.

Renegadeimp.8439:

Sure theyll do that, if you want to give them the money each month to provide for developing the system, keeping it running, as well as hiring additional CS staff.

Gladly if it puts insurance on the time I spend playing. If a B2P/gem store model can’t support a basic support team, then that’s not a model they should use for an AAA MMO. I’ve funded 2-3 billable hours of work on that system with my gem purchases alone, so I don’t think that’s an excuse.

Not trying to be a smartaleck but basically you’re saying you purchased over 70 dollars in gems which would be about enough for 2 hours at what game programmers make. Just look at the national average. In 2010 entry level game programmers, those with less than 3 years experience, made on average 74,500 a year. Last year the figure was ~85,000 so in 2011 they made even more at entry level. Experienced programmers made up to 120,000 range.

Unless they are making HUGE sales in the cash shop I’d hazard that it barely covers overhead and new development, which is why Arenanet doesn’t have in game CS and doesn’t have a large CS department.