The Players Corner Archive

It is also true that more GMs and Hosts the Simutronics wishes to admit have done exactly as said. I was sent an email by gamehost magiranger, otherwise known as Gigantuous to some of you, advertising that he would provide me with padding services in exchange for cash. There were the mighty little internal scandals involving the likes of Wolv(all rumor, but I suppose there had to be some truth to it), Aldrek(this guy left a trail so easy to spot even a regular player could see it), and others.

One of the GMs on board RIGHT NOW is well known to have gone in a little over 1/4th in the famed purchase of thalior. His business partner? Why, Ciston of course. Another GM on board right now is well known to have done PLENTY of business with that inner cash circle, and while I have no said proof that it continues, common sense suggests the obvious. Another GM who is still on board provided an elder since retired sorcerer with heroism self mana items, as well as the only wavable self mana opals item. One bad apple who sells 5 or 6 1000 dollar items a year goes a long way to ruin the whole attitudes of general people towards the others.

As for the IRS bit, I dont think Simu carries any bite into that. Melissa and Ciston seem awful close considering the "stance" of simu is that they "frown" on such things, yet the higher ups in staff seem to enjoy his company. Maybe thats just me.

The simple fact is this. Cash sales allow simu to have inherent cash value in the payments they give to GMs and Hosts. That allows them to "Pay" those employees without ever losing a dime. Those empoyees can turn around, ask ciston to sell those items, and vualaa, cash is given. It's a brilliant system if one ignores the legality factor. Has this happened before? YES... and on many more than one occasion. Is it still happening? well I personally have no proof past that letter from a host who was fired because he wanted to sell on his own and not through ciston, who is Simutronics official cash seller for gemstone III, but common sense suggests an obvious answer yet again. reg

I'd recommend to stop messing with this issue, it could only lead to bad tidings for the majority.

Of course, when in a place of power, people explore every reach and facet of their ability. If a GM can get away with making a quick buck selling an item, doing business, etc, I don't really see why not. Politicians do it all the time, but with a different framework of course.

Basically, there are likely honest GMs and likely dishonest, the best way to understand how it works would be to compare it to politics. The higher up you go, the bigger schemes likely.
-Zentalin reg

quote:

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Originally posted by GSTamral:
I was sent an email by gamehost magiranger, otherwise known as Gigantuous to some of you, advertising that he would provide me with padding services in exchange for cash.

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So did you report it?

And I didn't think GH's had the ability to make items, only GM's.
reg

It is not a conspiracy among GMs. A conspiracy would entail that all GMs are turning a blind eye and know the details and participate in it. That is not the case. It is the case that in the past, and I suspect even continuing now, certain defective members of staff use their positions not as intended, but rather as a means to help themselves pay some bills. And since Ciston was once basically in the hire of Fawn, and I suspect continues to have the same business relationship with Melissa (Lyredean), the upper level staff turn a complete blind eye unless hard proof hits the masses and the masses demand action. In some cases where the defective member of staff was so blatant about cheating that it became obvious, they had to do something. In many others I am sure they did nothing.

As for edge's statement about no self mana items in the ice age, that is indeed CORRECT, much as I hate agreeing with him on these types of issues . the first batch of self mana items were sold at the first jugg auction in november of 1995, a full 2 months into the AOL age. The first real mass proliferation, if you call it that, of those items, was not until the 1996 auction, when many lesser spells were released, which all had the defective mechanics flaw of incurring 3 seconds of roundtime and 3 seconds of cast roundtime. They also exacted the correct amount of mana for the spell. The later such items have only 3 seconds of roundtime and sometimes take twice or even three times the spell requirement.

As for his complaint about kulbaen, I will say this. that armor could very well have been duped by the system. Many items had that happen in the past where, during a crash, after the game came back up, the item would be in 2 places. The way to tell a duped item like that is simple. The duped copy will have standard weight, even if it keeps the other properties. For some reason, the weight always comes back as standard for the base of the item. If the weights are the same and not equal to the base, then you have reason to suspect some foul play. As for his heroism pin and opals sword, I say this. Those are both illegal items. Neither came from a legitimate auction, quest or such. HOWEVER, I do remember him actually purchasing the opals item from someone else. Meaning, I don't believe it was necessarily given to him as such. The pin I have no idea on other than I know it was illegally made, and I have seen those same sketchy complaints about his acquiring of it from more than one other person. Being it I thought he was a nice person and whatnot, I am inclined to say it is not necessarily true he had an "evil" hand in this, but I hope that helps clarifying that issue. reg

Now having said that...it doesn't MATTER that people are selling stuff and/or/characters for cash. What part of this do you not understand? Neil Harris, Vice President of Simutronics, has made this abundantly clear in his statement in the New York Times. So really, who cares? There's no conspiracy, there's no cover-up, there's no dirty laundry. There's none necessary. No one HAS to cover anything up. No one selling things for cash is doing anything wrong.

As for Ciston being on the payroll, I wanna see a copy of his paystub. As for him being "cozy" with Melissa, I want a copy of the videotape.

Good grief, get over your bitterness Tamral. Surely you can find something more significant in life to gripe about. I'll throw ya a couple for starters:

1) World hunger and the fact that the USA could solve it in a single week but doesn't do so.

2) Taxes vs. Governmental Salaries

3) Frivolous lawsuits and their cost to the taxpayer

There ya go. Now have some fun, go nuts in the off-topic folder. It could use some interesting juicy debate.

R

reg

P.S. Lighten up.

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I got no dukes. reg

Neil Harris has stated point blank that Simu inn't gonna do anything about cash sales. Neil Harris is the Vice President of Simutronics. No amount of "I know he sold this" and "this GM has been seen talking to" whatever and yada yada is going to change that fact. In THIS case, there *is no conspiracy.* There *is no corruption.* Cash sales are tolerated by Simutronics. This is the only "fact" I know of, as it was quoted directly from the VP himself in the New York Times. It doesn't get any more factual than that.

R
reg

Baens is kosher.. I known him a long time.. I know his toys and how he got most of 'em.. Hes legit. Period.

Heh.. Andiago
The Peacekeeper reg

R
reg

So? Tons of past GMs have done plenty of business with cash back with their PCs. -shrugs- So? Does that mean they do it in their GM form? Nope! Hell, I've sold coins and items and I know tons of others that have done so, and yep, some of them are either a GH or GM.

Heck, I'd have to say more than half the game has sold coins or items at one point or another...heck, who wouldn't? It's free easy money! It's rare for me to find someone who has such a huge problem with the whole deal anyways. The only people I see that have a problem with it are the VERY FEW, very vocal people on the boards.

Anyways, basically that comment you said has no value whatsoever as tons of people have done deals at one point or another. Just because a GM may have done it in the past with their character, it does NOT mean they do it with their GM powers. Hell, I wouldn't care if their PC still did those things even though they are a GM.

>>The simple fact is this. Cash sales allow simu to have inherent cash value in the payments they give to GMs and Hosts. That allows them to "Pay" those employees without ever losing a dime. Those empoyees can turn around, ask ciston to sell those items, and vualaa, cash is given. It's a brilliant system if one ignores the legality factor. - Tamral

Brilliant, eh? ;D Free work, free pay, how could it get any better?

- Pudgee reg

You forgot a big issue here. GMs and GHs are not allowed to sell stuff for cash. If they do, then they are breaking the agreement they have with Simu and suppose to be fired. I know so many of them that own illegal items and I have told them that item is illegal. Now it's their duty to remove that illegal item from the game. But do they? Nope. Thus, breaking GM and GHs agreement with Simu.

But how can you enforce rules you are breaking?

edge reg

Uh, where does it say GMs and GHs aren't allowed to sell stuff for cash? It's frowned upon to make items in your GM form and sell them yep, but I was talking about items that a PC already owns and/or any other business they do as their PC.

- Pudgee reg

You make a lot of spurious claims and spout them as "fact". In some ways you do have a valid argument about the effect of cash sales, but by throwing out false information you really weaken your position considerably and come off less as an 'informed insider' and more of just a crank with a chip on his shoulder.

Here are a few of your mistated "facts":

Ciston and Randeis went in halves on Thalior. Period. No one else. No matter how much you want to make of that sale, anything else you posit is based on faulty assumptions.

Ciston is in no way now or ever has he been in Simutronic's "employ". Not with Melissa .. and certainly not with Fawn. I asked him about it one time at an L.A. gather. He laughed. A lot. Beleive it or not, Simu doesn't like him too much.

Melissa and Ciston do not have a buddy-buddy relationship. In fact the way I've heard Ciston describe it, it could be best characterized as "strained". The closest I've seen to any thing between Ciston and Simu is when a bunch of us in L.A. threw a big summer party for about 40-50 GS folks from all over the country and Simu sent us a little box witha few old tee-shirts, some Simu pencils, and few other baubles to raffle off as prizes. The party happened to be at Ciston's house, BUT this was sponsored and run by many several L.A. GS players including me, Ashemu, Kodokai, Ciston, and several others. Hardly a tight relationship.

Ciston also hosts "Quaavy's Bar" at SimuCon with absolutely no support from Simu. He pays for an extra room and buys all the booze. The bar is a perinnial favorite of all SimuCon goers and is as much an institution as the Seminars are. If he were in their employ, don't you think they'd at least help defray part of the costs?

And .. you bring up Aldrek. I don't know a lot about what all really happened, but I can say that after talking to Elonka a little about it (in generic terms) I can say this much: There are a lot more safeguards in place now that make the kind of backroom deals you describe a *lot* more difficult to pull off. Considering your obvious fanatical distaste for GM sales of items, you should actually thank Aldrek.

Now ... I'm not saying there haven't been questionable things that have gone on with GM's and the cash sales market, but if you want your claims to have more crediblity, I'd be sure to label your conjecture as conjecture and not as "well-known fact". At this point, I look at *everything* you spout out as being as flawed as the stuff I know is flat out wrong.

-Prestius reg

Several people chipped in for the bar. Ciston being the biggest. Randeis gave a bunch. Hell, I gave 100 bucks myself because I know I drank more then that.

As for Ciston. They watch his items real carefully. Break items when he gets them. His orb, can't go to Teras anymore. His scroll combiner, within a week of owning it, they ruined it. Use to tell you the exact number of invokes on scrolls, not anymore. Plus a number of other items.

I honestly think they avoid Ciston. The ones that are corrupt at least. Just because he is so watched by the staff in general.

As for selling items. IF they use their points they get for doing their job and get a item made or padded. It's flagged and can NOT be sold period. But the problem is, they are so rarely flagged or points used for them back when Aldrek did this. But now I think they are watching it real careful.

But accusing Ciston of bribing a GM. Don't think that is going to happen. They know he is watched very carefully. They keep track of everything that he moves.

edge

[This message has been edited by edge (edited 04-22-2002).] reg

That will take me years to remove the image from my head.

p.s. I've chipped in MANY years for Quaavy's bar also, I'd hate to have people think Ciston paid in full for my thirsty habits

reg

Yeah true ... I should have said it that way. He certainly doesn't do it with out help, both monetary and otherwise.

My point was though .. that if there was this tight, cozy relationship between Ciston and Simu as some seem to think, you'd think that Simu would do more to assist in funding and sponsoring Quavvy's.

-Prestius reg