- Joined
- Feb 15, 2016
- Messages
- 239
- Reaction score
- 58
Request:
Add mechanic to log flow of faction points and player credits: who/what causes an addition or subtraction (e.g. a server turn, or an admin command, and which admin ran the command)
Currently:
Both faction points and player credits are intended as a form of in-game "currency". One supports a major trade mechanic, and the other controls how established player groups take and protect territories.
Result of proposed:
Suggested Method:
Using existing in-game mechanics: add a single-line news entry when points/credits change. Include what caused the change (e.g. server turn), and the quantity. Purge entries older than 30 (?) days.
Rationale:
Defects/Workarounds:
Add mechanic to log flow of faction points and player credits: who/what causes an addition or subtraction (e.g. a server turn, or an admin command, and which admin ran the command)
Currently:
Both faction points and player credits are intended as a form of in-game "currency". One supports a major trade mechanic, and the other controls how established player groups take and protect territories.
Result of proposed:
- Players can independently verify what's happening with valued in-game currencies.
- Improved administrative transparency.
Suggested Method:
Using existing in-game mechanics: add a single-line news entry when points/credits change. Include what caused the change (e.g. server turn), and the quantity. Purge entries older than 30 (?) days.
Rationale:
- Would you trust your bank to responsibly handle your accounts, if your only visibility was a monthly balance statement detailing a single total?
- An administrative user can abuse faction_point_add, faction_point_set, and give_credit commands; setting a faction into the negative and therefore activating undesired game mechanics.
- Game bugs have, and will reasonably continue to, be constructed as malicious admin actions. When an accusation starts, admins have essentially no independent means of recourse. These types of things severely undermine the social element of RPG.
- Server logs are inadequate for tracking specific command usage over any reasonable length of time (currently ~1hr, for a popular/active servers).
- Information collected by third-party server wrappers can be manipulated too easily.
- Players should be able to independently verify currency activity, without seeking out administrative assistance.
Defects/Workarounds:
- I see no negative outcomes from this, aside from increasing data storage requirements to accommodate additional news entries. I can't imagine the total increase being more than a fraction of just one average blueprint.
- Abusive admins will probably just shift to less convenient means of griefing. Although that's the point; increase their risk of exposure, create deterrents.
