Potential policy change re: restoring characters

[Tyrion]

If Alteran and folks demolished all account data that was inactive for 6 months or more (back in '08 or so) - I don't think here's much to gain anyhow? Unless we have some backup of a backup of backup hidden somewhere?

- Boris

This was yearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssss ago when they nuked a hundred + accounts due to unnecessary 'load on the server', I believe. They had different hardware too work with and this was around the time when the data on the servers became corrupted and as a result, lead too the massive time warps and destruction of items (cloths, weapons etc.) in what I assume was an attempt to fix the issue. Neon was around then, so maybe he has more in-depth knowledge.

As an added note, I see no reason not to apply an account restore retroactively for those who were deleted due to inactivity (if technically possible).

Speaking for myself (when I came back as a player, I had to start from scratch), I probably wouldn't have had I not known that I had days and days of macro-time ahead of me due to writing my thesis. (Not exactly the type of player activity we're looking for). Plus, I would feel no resentment towards people who get to benefit from this, even though I didn't.

In cases where someone may have already recreated a new account, they can choose between their old account and new account (assuming Ares is willing to go through with this trouble) and then the one that is decided as "duplicate" is deleted.

Iktomi has pointed out that players in these situations would get too choose one account or the other. Ares has already stated he'd be willing too do the legwork. Worst case scenario is a returning player with a new account, gets their old account back and then loses their new account? Who cares about the new account if it gets deleted? It's not as if the old account has some magical powers on it if the characters and items are fully wiped. The only thing that really matters in this game are the skills.

I don't understand the position of players being vehemently against this. People like Chivay were / are vets that contributed immensely to the RP environment as well as the activity level of Pangaea for years and as a result of the passage of time / questionable administration were erroneously erased through no fault of their own. That's not cool. Like Scale has said before, people have IRL things come up and they don't always have the option of logging into their account when life events occur. Additionally, returning motivated players more frequently contribute RP and activity (see Kenyon Ahearns example) than those that have to grind out the skill points.

[Boris]

This was yearrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssss ago when they nuked a hundred + accounts due to unnecessary 'load on the server', I believe. They had different hardware too work with and this was around the time when the data on the servers became corrupted and as a result, lead too the massive time warps and destruction of items (cloths, weapons etc.) in what I assume was an attempt to fix the issue. Neon was around then, so maybe he has more in-depth knowledge.

Yeap, Ares already confirmed this part. We simply have 0 account data from <2008. This means the whole idea of this thread is useless to players coming back. We can only bring back accounts older than 2008, meaning, mostly rage quitters. Those cases we can count on the fingers of one hand. Sum up being; even if we could restore - there's nothing to restore.

Buuut....

Suddenly a wild Monad appears! It's super effective!

Myup.

- Boris

[Ares]

Unless we have some backup of a backup of backup hidden somewhere?

- Boris

From 2008.

They're on the old server at Irmings place, so yeah.

[Vaux27]

So are we discussing putting old ass accounts back on the server, in hopes that when oldies do return...they at least have an account without characters on it?

Hmmm.

[Ares]

So are we discussing putting old ass accounts back on the server, in hopes that when oldies do return...they at least have an account without characters on it?

Hmmm.

No not necessarily. This was just a reply to how old backups we have.

What I'm saying is that I don't mind restoring deleted characters under certain conditions. That's all.

I'll break the news here and say that we're discussing a fairly radical idea on the gm chat that I suggested:
Getting a deleted character restored will cost you a 10 Euro donation to the server. And you get the character back from the moment of deletion, meaning you can't fail a macrocheck, delete and ask for it back from last backup for example

This way there's a fairly big discouragement, and if you fuck up we all benefit.

Edit: We're just discussing the idea, it's no where near implemented. What do you think?

[Cyrus Tegyr]

I am fine with a donation requirement, would help the server and not just be handed out willy nilly.

[Mike]

Pay to play (the character you rage-deleted) seems OK to me.

[Raemonn]

As someone whose old account might be on this mystical 2008-ish era backup-thingamajig, I'm still kind of opposed. Not because I'm currently macroing the excitement out of my life, and I want others to suffer the same horrible experience (I kid, I kid) just to play "catch up" to every player and his dog who run around with heightened characters. No, I'm not that much of an asshole.

It's more a matter of principle. My parents raised me with the idea that actions have consequences, often terrible consequences. Especially stupid actions. You deleted your character while drunk? What were you doing drunk off your ass on Pang? You ragequit and deleted your characters? That's just idiotic. In the Netherlands we have a saying, which is literally translated as:

"He who burns his arse, has to sit on the blisters."

Then again, paying 10 euro's to have a character restored is facing up to consequences, and it would help the shard. Long story short: I approve, but only if there's a financial consequence for the player making the request.

[Boris]

RL money is always a touchy subject, but it's also a cold fact, that we need dough to run the server.

So, uhhh... mixed feelings, but I approve.

- Boris

[Cyrus Tegyr]

Raemonn I think the idea isn't geared toward rage quitting...I didn't view it that way, I thought it was referring to restoration of deleted characters of a bygone era due to inactivity.

I disagree with the rage quit and pay to have the character restored as again, I agree with you, it comes down to accountability. Not everything can nor should be solved with money switching hands.