Havn't heard anything from CMNs about possible cheating. This is unacceptable.

[smacksim]

After a few Gaian tonics and some attempts to make peace through PM, I've had enough.

CMNs. When an issue such as cheating rears it's ugly head, you have a duty to make a post saying that you are dealing with it.

While you have been enjoying your private deliberations (yes, I'm jealous), a player's union has been forming to make demands about this ACDG. You must put aside the pride you feel in being able to negotiate as moderators and make a public statement when an issue like this rears it's head. All you have to say is "We are aware of an issue X. We are talking with parties. We will get back to the community for feedback on decisions as soon as possible. We have great hope that issue X will not interfere with this issue because we are X, Y, and Z about it."

By the way, I have not started this player's union/boycott. I recieved notice about it though. So please, make a public statement and let's move on with the game as soon as possible without an explosive Boycott coming up.

-S

[smacksim]

Feel absolutely free to delete this thread once you've made a statement. I don't want to inflame this. I just want to prevent an explosion you don't know about.

-S

[Snowflake]

I am not the moderator but I would like to assure you that the moderators are aware of the issues you are concerned with, and you can be assured that they will give you a public statement very soon.

[smacksim]

Hiya HH. You are a CMN though, so thanks for the reply. Feel free to delete as soon as a reply is up. To those who are part of the revolution, be patient Comrades! HH is on everyone's side.

-S

[Drogue]

Re: Havn't heard anything from CMNs about possible cheating. This is unacceptable.

The reason I have not made a statement is twofold. I don't want people, as some have, panicing when there is nothing to panic about. And two, that I am not suire what to report. We have been discussing it, and searching for evidence, and we will annouce what we have found shortly.

I will not post information about private things until we have decided if and what action needs to be taken.

More importantly, there are personal issues with this case, and as such, we decided that it would be unwise to try to publicise anything before we know all the facts.

I will make a full public statement when we are aware of the facts. I'm sorry if people feel this is unacceptable, but I stated before the game started that anything private to one team will not be released unless rule breaking has occured. That is the point of private forums, and I am not going to punish someone when I don't have information. It is also impossible to find the information when people post publically about it, because it turns hidden. That is why it was imperative that there was not an official statement about it in the few hours yesterday when we were gathering it.

Moreover, the issue has been known for about 18 hours, much of which I have been at work. That isn't enough time to start complaining about not being notified. I have been talking to those involved, to find out what the problem is, before I make a statement saying what the problem is. I would rather release information about the details of it after 24-36 hours, than release something immediately that turns out to be inaccurate. I hope you accept this.

As for a PM exchange, I have not been PMed by anyone about a boycott, and as the Mod, I'm the one it concerns. Please do not bring HongHu or Kody into this. They are narrators, and while they can help me with discussing things, as peopel with access to all forums and both experienced PBEMers, it is not their place to decide on action, or to release private information.

In short, I am taking the actions seriously, but I am going to gather all the facts before I make an annoucement. I have also been specifically asked to delay an annoucement until this evening due to personal reasons, that I deem to be serious enough to warrant a 24 hour delay. This is a game, even while it is an important game that involved many people, and as such, somebody's personal wellbeing takes precedence over it. A more in depth public statement will be posted tonight.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by smacksim
Feel absolutely free to delete this thread once you've made a statement. I don't want to inflame this. I just want to prevent an explosion you don't know about.

Thank you for the heads up, however as posted above, a public statement was not in order until the facts have been gathered. I also find it amazing that people feel they have to start a boycott, 12-18 hours after first knowing about this, based purely on allegations they have heard. I do understand people are passionate about this game. I am too. Which is why I am doing everything I can not to endanger it. Facts must be gathered before allegations are made public, so that we know what allegations to make public.

I was about to release a statement yesterday about it, but due to a personal and important request, I agreed to delay it by 24 hours. I stand by that decision, and I hope people can bear with us until this evening when I can publish results. Being at work, while I can post, there's limited time and no SMAC here, so I cannot do everything here.

I would also like to know who had a problem. I know people have had issues with events, and I have talked to them about it and informed them of what I'm doing, why, and how it will work. I would hope people would bring a problem up with me, as the Mod, before starting to complain. Having only heard bits of information, you do not have a complete picture, and there may be a reason why public posting has not happened. I would advise you to ask me before posting, in case there is a reason that it hasn't been made public.

[smacksim]

Darn, well I see I took the wrong tack and should have kept my mouth shut. Sorry Drogue. I felt I had to make a public post because there was someone whispering in my ear that since they saw nothing happening they were going to make a demand , which I felt was dangerous to do and would act against their intent to keep the game going and fun.

They also claim to have some numbers in the group, and I sympathise.

I do see a difference between making a statement:

"ACDG, an issue of cheating has come up that we are dealing with. For some reasons, we can't appeal to the masses on this issue right now, but know that we will, if it is possible to do so, sometime tomorrow. We fully expect the game to be fine."

vs.

"Specifics about how things are going are X, Y, Z"

I fully admit that my 'this is unnacceptable' attitude is a bit over the top. What is one to do? . On the other hand, can you see the value in making an early statement like the first? Just a short update. I know you were unaware of this little revolution brewing, or trying to brew. It is too early to panic, like you said. But some were. At a small cost, a short, non-specific update can quell the idea that "The CMNs are not going to do anything about it". I did my best to tell the revolutionaries to enter dialogue rather than demands. Here I do my best to show them that dialogue is happening by making a public post in which CMNs or the moderator respond.

Conclusion: Perhaps, this unreasonable jumpiness could be quelled in the future by a simple update sans specifics. I know it seems kooky to you because you do know what is going on. But issues like this just need acknowledgement to keep the early doubters satisfied I think.

-Smack

[smacksim]

Seems like a good time to delete this thread. or archive it. I've clearly gone too far all day long, and agree with Tass's representation of people not seeming to be having fun. So quick, hide this!

Edit: Er, what I mean is that apparently this thread upsets some people and adds to some feeling of 'ACDG is not fun'. I have a bit more faith in us all. What fantastic teams! But still, if that is true of others, we should get rid of it. -S

[Drogue]

One thing I will say, to try to ally people, is that one person quitted his team because he did lost faith in fairness wrt the allegations. I have informed him of what I was doing, why, and how I was going about it, and has since rejoined his team, because he knows it is being dealt with properly.

I understand you needed to give us a heads up about the demands, and I thank you for that. We all go a little overboard with the tone.

I am suprised at the number of members, since most factions have read Kody's annoucement about other PBEMs, and have been discussing this issue in their private forums.

My message to all, there is no problem, and there will be no cheating in the DG. I am looking into everything, but being the person I am, I will give it due process, and not succumb to a witch hunt or to rash decisions based on hearsay. This will be dealt with fairly, quickly and definitively.

[Drogue]

I'll close this thread, and give an annoucement.