How do you tell why you story was banned
By
AddamsFamily,
Posted on: 2009-04-19 21:02 in Mission Architect
It's possible that it's merely completely hidden, and so resides somewhere on the server. But when I look at my list of published arcs, it's not there.
And I have been escalated through CS. I petitioned, was passed on to someone higher, was asked to send a copy of the arc, sent my local copy, was told no attachment (there was, I checked the message in my sent mailbox), sent it again, and was told:
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Please keep in mind that any Architect mission that is advertised as a farm mission will be removed. This is also the case if any of the dialog inside the mission indicates that it is intended to be a farm mission.
Our patch note about this issue is as follows: NCsoft reserves the right to ban any missions that contain any exploits that provide unintended statistical advantages. Players and/or "authors" that advertise exploitable missions through our forums, in-game chat system or through the Mission Architect system may be banned from the Mission Architect System or may have their game account closed.
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Update Apparently my claim that nobody actually runs them was completely unfounded. It was run, and I got a notice that it had been restored and is live again! Thanks, GMs, I shoulda been more patient!
My arcs are constantly shifting, just search for GadgetDon for the latest.
The world beware! I've started a blog
GadgetMania Under Attack: The Digg Lockout
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Happened to me too--I modified the description to make it clear it wasn't a farming mission. And while I have a local copy, it's not completely up to date.
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How does this happen? Doesn't the system update your local copy every time you make changes and hit 'Republish'? Where are the changes coming from to go to the server? Are they only stored in RAM?
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After you republish the arc, Edit it again and use the Save As option. You can use the same file name or make a new one. This ensures you have an updated local copy.
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MA ArcID: 1197
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Please keep in mind that any Architect mission that is advertised as a farm mission will be removed. This is also the case if any of the dialog inside the mission indicates that it is intended to be a farm mission.
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This might be a fairly ironclad policy being enforced by a bot of some kind.
Story Arcs I created:
Every Rose: (#17702) Villainous vs Legacy Chain. Forget Arachnos, join the CoT!
Cosplay Madness!: (#3643) Neutral vs Custom Foes. Heroes at a pop culture convention!
Kiss Hello Goodbye: (#156389) Heroic vs Custom Foes. Film Noir/Hardboiled detective adventure!
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Please keep in mind that any Architect mission that is advertised as a farm mission will be removed. This is also the case if any of the dialog inside the mission indicates that it is intended to be a farm mission.
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This might be a fairly ironclad policy being enforced by a bot of some kind.
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What an incredibly stupid way to handle this.
I think the "bot" is catching missions where players have put "this mission is NOT a farm" into the title, description, etc; as well as ones that say "this IS a farm".
How sad.
I do have one small hope that the "deletion" of arcs is actually a bug that stops banned arcs from being visible in the MA interface. if this is the case, then all they need to do is fix the bug.
However, I also have a bad feeling that the GMs are acting from the assumption that this is just the initial mad rush of MA material and at some point later "when things calm down" they can go back and sort out all the problems happening every day.
That's never going to happen. The number of arcs is just going to keep going up and up. There are already players who just chop and change publishing farms form their local files, believing that there is no way the GMs can keep up with everyone (and more seriously, no way they can ban a tonne of players/accounts based on publication of farms).
After a certain point of bans/appeals/account closures, I14 will just end up costing more money than it makes.
The Widow's Dark Hand - leader of Faux Pas
Champion Server
Tee Hee!
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Wrong target.
Blame the people actually responsible, please.
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You mean the devs?
I don't personally think it's a blameworthy situation, but if blame you must the group that created the exploitable system is the obvious target.
A group of players will push any content you hand them to the breaking point, guaranteed. Blaming them when the content can't handle the stress makes as much sense as blaming a shark for eating a seal.
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If a sentient shark chooses to eat a seal, then it is to blame, by definition. The seal and the ocean might also share some of that blame.
Story Arcs I created:
Every Rose: (#17702) Villainous vs Legacy Chain. Forget Arachnos, join the CoT!
Cosplay Madness!: (#3643) Neutral vs Custom Foes. Heroes at a pop culture convention!
Kiss Hello Goodbye: (#156389) Heroic vs Custom Foes. Film Noir/Hardboiled detective adventure!
And without allowing for the possibility of exploitation, the MA wouldn't exist. At least not with the options it currently has.
Blaming people who exploit the tools they are given is like blaming a kid for throwing a baseball through your window.
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Arc ID#431270 Until the End of the World
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Wrong target.
Blame the people actually responsible, please.
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You mean the devs?
I don't personally think it's a blameworthy situation, but if blame you must the group that created the exploitable system is the obvious target.
A group of players will push any content you hand them to the breaking point, guaranteed. Blaming them when the content can't handle the stress makes as much sense as blaming a shark for eating a seal.
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If the Devs had to wait until they eliminated every possible explot before publishing, we would still be waiting for the initial release of the game.
There were literally thousand of players in Open Beta, many of them were looking for potential exploits. How can you blame the dev's for not finding exploits when the thousands of beta testers couldn't? The only way the dev's could possible avoid creating something that can be exploited is to stop creating new content. Do you honestly think that would be good for the game?
If Brevity is the Soul of Wit, Why are You Reading This?
Just wanted to say that the GMs HAVE run my arc, and it was restored. My fault in not be patient enough. So, if you do have an arc erroneously removed, go through the petition system, keep explaining the situation.
And they restored the arc, so it wasn't completely deleted, they must have just hidden it. A Farming Tale is back with its old ratings.
My arcs are constantly shifting, just search for GadgetDon for the latest.
The world beware! I've started a blog
GadgetMania Under Attack: The Digg Lockout
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Just wanted to say that the GMs HAVE run my arc, and it was restored. My fault in not be patient enough. So, if you do have an arc erroneously removed, go through the petition system, keep explaining the situation.
And they restored the arc, so it wasn't completely deleted, they must have just hidden it. A Farming Tale is back with its old ratings.
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OMG that is such such great news. Hopefully the GMs will run mine and restore it, or at worst tell me to make a few more changes (maybe adding a second mission part) before it reappears 
woo hoo. I guess the real story must be that they pulled lots of arcs as a desperation move and now are working through them.
The Widow's Dark Hand - leader of Faux Pas
Champion Server
Tee Hee!
Dollymistress, if you haven't done so yet, file a petition to have it looked at again. If you have done a petition, be sure to reply to each one, stating your case clearly, asking them to run it.
One of the things they're looking for, beyond actual farm missions, are missions that look as though they're farm missions in order to get runs. My original description of "I thought I'd try making a farming arc" (or something similar) definitely raised flags for them. Point out that you're willing to make changes and ask for suggestions.
My arcs are constantly shifting, just search for GadgetDon for the latest.
The world beware! I've started a blog
GadgetMania Under Attack: The Digg Lockout
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Happened to me too--I modified the description to make it clear it wasn't a farming mission. And while I have a local copy, it's not completely up to date.
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How does this happen? Doesn't the system update your local copy every time you make changes and hit 'Republish'? Where are the changes coming from to go to the server? Are they only stored in RAM?
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You have to re-save the file again manually (the save as Local Arc option); and at that point it saves a copy, and stops editing the server-based version of the MA arc. I usually do it after I make all the changes and have re-published.
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Read the EULA and you will probably figure it out.
No Drug references
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Does Superadine count?
How about Council Super Soldier Serum?
How about Shift?
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This was exactly my thoughts too. I realized, Wait a second. The game has drug references. What gives?
And this bull where you have the word "Farm" in your mission makes it bannable is way out of control. It seems the GMs are yanking Arcs with Farm in it without even testing it. Abuse of power IMO.
And we are also getting hit by people exploiting arcs that are not designed for farming, but someone likes it, and takes advantage of it. It wasn't made for that. It wasn't even considered when published, and those are getting ousted too because of somebody else. If that's the case, then why hasn't the BM mish been pulled?
All this ban garbage is way out of hand. If somebody wants to farm, let them farm. Stop wasting our money, and use that time to create new content, not attack a losing uphill battle. Farming isn't going away. Ever. It's bad enough we have to deal with people giving 1-star ratings because, despite of the creativity and originality, it just wasn't their style, but we have to worry about someone taking advantage of it and risking a ban.
Hey! If someone likes my arc well enough to play it regularly to lvl quicker, and it's not made or purposely designed for that, but was simply going for a good story, I would be honored that I could appeal to more than just one demographic.
AKA: Ath BS/SD Brute (Hero)
"The Fall and Rise of Athanatos" Arc ID: 521712
Outcast Cooler - "Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't."
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This was exactly my thoughts too. I realized, Wait a second. The game has drug references. What gives?
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I recall that when Fallout 3 was going to come out in Australia, it got banned because it used cocaine, heroin, speed, etc. as in-game buffs. However, when Bethesda changed these drugs for made-up ones like jet and buffout, Australia was cool with it and allowed the game's release again.
Notice how in COH, they never mention real-world drugs. That's how they get away with it.
It's just like how on kid's cartoons, you can shoot a laser pistol at someone -- and sometimes, a machine gun -- but you see very few revolvers or other handguns.
It's all about ties to the real world, and what a child might have access to. A kid can't trip balls on Surpadyne and then mow down people with a plasma rifle. A kid however CAN shoot up speed and go put six in his classmate's heads with daddy's handgun he forgot to lock up.
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And this bull where you have the word "Farm" in your mission makes it bannable is way out of control. It seems the GMs are yanking Arcs with Farm in it without even testing it. Abuse of power IMO.
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Agreed. We can't even write stories about agriculture! We've got entire Croatoa maps based on fighting pumpkin men in farms, but can't use them.
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Mission Architect Works: DIY Laser Moonbase (Dev Choice!), An Internship in the Fine Art of Revenge (2009 MA Award Winner!) and many more! Plus Brand New Arcs for Issue 21!
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Agreed. We can't even write stories about agriculture! We've got entire Croatoa maps based on fighting pumpkin men in farms, but can't use them.
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Wait! That's it! Word subsitution!
/b L1 Defender LF Agri team
@Mindshadow
I was quite amused that one of the first missions I did was filled with nothing but cows (all story related and a nicely balanced group of all the boss/lt/minion types). Pretty funny, actually.
Mooooooo!
Dec out.
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Not reporting a bug, especially one that constitutes an exploit, violates CoH's Rules of Conduct.
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Wrong. I don't believe there's anything in the rules that requires players to make a determination as to whether or not a bug is an exploit, and players are certainly not required to report all bugs they encounter.
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I think the "bot" is catching missions where players have put "this mission is NOT a farm" into the title, description, etc; as well as ones that say "this IS a farm".
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I'm surprised people are surprised by this.
I'm sure that many people have created arcs specifically for farming purposes and added the "This is NOT a farm!" language to the mission description.
I don't know why anyone would add "This mission is NOT a farm" to a legitimate arc. That statement basically says "This mission IS a farm" in my book.
Surprise surprise, I created a mission called "Farming the Land with Farmer Joe" and described the mission as "NOT a farming mission!" and it got removedÂ… Seriously???
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Agreed. We can't even write stories about agriculture! We've got entire Croatoa maps based on fighting pumpkin men in farms, but can't use them.
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Wait! That's it! Word subsitution!
/b L1 Defender LF Agri team
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I've already seen at least one farm mission brand itself as an "agricultural study".
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Agreed. We can't even write stories about agriculture! We've got entire Croatoa maps based on fighting pumpkin men in farms, but can't use them.
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Wait! That's it! Word subsitution!
/b L1 Defender LF Agri team
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I've already seen at least one farm mission brand itself as an "agricultural study".
[/ QUOTE ]Me too. There are tons of missions that are labeled as farms but arent. They have one with all bosses but yet every critter has powers that would easily take down a solo tanker or even a fire/kin. All the critters are actual farm animals that have been mutated. Challenging mission though. I even seen one where they had these chickens from hell, that floor you defense really far down.
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Legendary Sannin Ninja/Pain Mastermind
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Ninja Ryukenden Kat/WP Scrapper
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Thank You Devs for Merits!!!!
During beta, I created a mission named "Demonic Horticulture 101". 
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Jacqui Frost - Cold/Ice D
Jacqui Embers - Fire/Kin C
Simone Templar - Fire/MM B
Mallory Woods - Kin/Rad D
Sanguine Melody - Grav/Sonic C
Fumina Hara - Plant/Storm C
Nutmeg - Warshade
Lauren Wu - SS/WP B
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All this ban garbage is way out of hand. If somebody wants to farm, let them farm. Stop wasting our money, and use that time to create new content, not attack a losing uphill battle.
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I'm compelled to point out that the people banning arcs are not the same people creating official content. Your argument is invalid.
"You don't lose levels. You don't have equipment to wear out, repair, or lose, or that anyone can steal from you. About the only thing lighter than debt they could do is have an NPC walk by, point and laugh before you can go to the hospital or base." -Memphis_Bill
We will honor the past, and fight to the last, it will be a good way to die...
ha! I referenced it to Agriculture in a post not too long ago as well. I think it was in a thread that has been closed, cuz I just did a search for it, and it no exist anymore! Meep!
AKA: Ath BS/SD Brute (Hero)
"The Fall and Rise of Athanatos" Arc ID: 521712
Outcast Cooler - "Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't."
I hate to ask the worlds dumbest question, but how is a 'farm' MA different from a 'non-farm' MA?
I mean, the only thing you can do with MA is pick a setting and then put critters in it.
Maybe someone picks critters that are weak to their particular AT, or large numbers of minions if they are an AOE type, but what's all the fuss? How is playing one MA 10 times in a row such a disaster to the game as opposed to playing 10 different MA's back to back?
Anyway, I have no interest in creating any drama. I really just don't get it. If this question is too dumb feel free to ignore it lol.
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Long before I started complaining about farm missions.
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Yet you proudly mention in another topic you reported a farm exploit in a previous closed beta.
I'd say more, but most likely it'd get everyone to shout "Oooh ! G's Law !", because God (oops, religion) forbid we talk about serious things. Let's just say, much like some people not so long ago, you seem to be much too eager to report other people to the authorities simply because they break the rules.
Despite living in a country where we have cultural bias on this kind of thing (as kids, we're taught that reporting is bad), I can understand the good may outweight the bad in some situations ; but again, your tone on these posts makes it seem like you're enjoying reporting people. Forgive me if I have a little contempt at your behavior.
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Excuse me, I reported something that amounted to an exploit. The Dev's agreed it was an exploit. They took action becasue it was an exploit.
And please, check out the Rules of Conduct, particularly #18:
You will not exploit any bug in City of Heroes and you will not communicate the existence of any such exploitable bug (bugs that grant the user unnatural or unintended benefits) either directly or through public posting, to any other user of City of Heroes . Bugs should be promptly reported via 'Ask A Question' at http://support.cityofheroes.com.
Not reporting a bug, especially one that constitutes an exploit, violates CoH's Rules of Conduct.
BTW, I reported the exploit in OPEN Beta, not closed. And you report these types of exploits so that the poeple who are willing to blatantly violate the TOS don't get a chance to do so. Some of the exploits slipped through. The farmers have been using them. (It's why certain Rikti creatures got pulled.)
The farmers have been using exploits, and I have been reporting them when I find them doing so.
You are apparently defending the actions of people caught violating the Rules. In other words, you are defending people who have been caught cheating.
If Brevity is the Soul of Wit, Why are You Reading This?