Breaking EvolveRO News!

[Nitrous]

It has been reported that the leader of the top guild WTFJH Pr0x has been banned. More news later.

Reports are coming in that 8 other people from WTFJH have been banned as well, raising the number of banned players to 9. I interviewed an innocent witness and member of WTFJH, who wants to remain anonymous, and in order to prevent their identity I used a voice changer.

Nitrous: So, you where there in Alberta when they were banned?
Interviewee: Yes, I was there when the GM Quote came into Alberta to talk to the people of the guild.
N: What did Quote say?
I: He said that 9 people from WTFJH were banned from the server.
N: Did you ask why?
I: Yes, and the GM said to ask the people who were banned.
N: So he didn't say anything? Did he provide any proof?
I: As of yet, none.
N: Thank you for your courage in this interview.

Before this interview, I asked GM Quote why they were banned and was told to ask the persecuted. After sitting in Alberta, Quote said that they were banned for posting about macros in their guild forums. But how did Quote have access to those forums? When asked, he said that he has access to their guild forums by some means, and he also has access to the Stronghold guild forums, the second-highest ranked guild, and confirmed that nothing illicit was on their forums. The GMs admit to having access to private guild forums, which is a huge break of trust.

In the aftermath, the players of WTFJH and other guilds, myself included, wanted to see the proof. Just like Quote says, he can't do anything without proof. However the GMs Quote and Ancient, the admin of the server, say they have the proof and don't need to show it.

EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that a GM Misa, who works under Quote and Ancient has a legitimate character in WTFJH and actually WoEs for them.

[Meta]

So my guide to using AHK on the forums of a server where it's allowed would get me banned on this server? Sounds great.

[wireless]

...
he also has access to the Stronghold guild forums, the second-highest ranked guild, and confirmed that nothing illicit was on their forums. The GMs admit to having access to private guild forums, which is a huge break of trust.
...

I believe he is/was a member of Stronghold, so it's not that strange he has access to their forums.

[RMS Shin]

I think providing a SS of the chat is much better than using text. It'll help make your interview more legitimate.

[Daletos]

Lmao I just read it, boy did they just dig their own grave? I didn't see any actual evidence provided other than "circumstantial evidence" and GMs abusing their legit characters to spy on players. Regardless if they are guilty or not, I never play a server where GMs have legits because crap like this always happens. Either they are corrupt or pull this under cover agent s***, and in this case they banned a bunch of people simply for being in the guild and not reporting it when it may have not even happened. This a breach of trust with players and staffs since their forums are private for members, and the GM team had obvious malicious intent (even if there was nothing about macroing, the GMs were there meaning they had some interest in keeping tabs on not just WTFJH, but probably all 4 WoE guilds). Honestly this is pretty sad and is up there with Jtynne's bans for ridiculous reasons. At least confirm it 100% and apply a fair ban if there actually was macroing with those that did, instead of mass banning people for simply having knowledge of it, if it even occurred. By that logic everyone in that entire guild should be mass banned/purged since they may have known about it. What a joke. Well I guess EO-RO is the only decent LR left out of the three new ones this year.

[White Mage]

This was definitely alarming and terrible. I was going to add to the fire here, but I got in touch with Ancient and received reassurances that the situation will be favorably resolved. I can't say it hasn't been a wild ride, though.

[Meta]

This is why people won't even look at low rates these days. There's two choices for people who prefer a minimally-customized RO:

• Spend hours on a low rate getting one character to a self-sustaining level and hope it's not wasted by a single incompetent act that torpedoes the hard-earned trust of the players and sends the server into decline
• Spend a few minutes getting there on a midrate and not care about what the staff does

More people choose the latter every time one of these situations comes up.

[Daletos]

Bump, would someone care to explain this?



Just curious why they have the same IP as either they are the same person, or living together some of us have hypothesized. Also cute legit name.

[Cawliflower]

http://postimg.org/image/fuugxbk3n/ (received that from a player)

On top of that, their GM team was dropping Slotted Sunglasses with MVP cards in them.

So, they did copy everything from Divinity even our past corruption. Nice job Ancient!

http://i.imgur.com/DhWiXWz.png (their GM paradise aka Cole)
http://i.imgur.com/ZRJtN4O.png

[edit by Triper: Come on, that last part isn't needed]

[Daletos]

Also this too of them trying to cover it up/purge the server. Fail.




Also read what you can before they start mass purging the remaining content:

http://board.evolvero.net/index.php?/topic/1228-before-i-leave/

EDIT: Purge has begun already on eRO forums~

[Wyvern]

http://postimg.org/image/fuugxbk3n/ (received that from a player)

On top of that, their GM team was dropping Slotted Sunglasses with MVP cards in them.

So, they did copy everything from Divinity even our past corruption. Nice job Ancient!

http://i.imgur.com/DhWiXWz.png (their GM paradise aka Cole)
http://i.imgur.com/ZRJtN4O.png

[edit by Triper: Come on, that last part isn't needed]

I guess you have nothing better to do with your time that you have to insult and criticize every topic about EvolveRO that comes up.

[AncientB]

I won't sit back and deny the fact that I didn't make a mistake and or my decision making skills not being on the off-side lately, however I have done what I can to make sure all folks are satisfied -- (I will continue to work with the staff members, to make sure the server thrives), I understand it has been almost three months since we launched, yet a lot of saddening activities have been occurring lately, however I will continue to stand behind this project, you individuals (know who you are), can keep on spreading these false accusations, but don't for a second think I will let the project slide off easily, the loyal players do not deserve another dead Low Rate, because some pesky folks decided it is fun to try to destroy the server, before leaving.

In terms of staff members, I completely take full blame for hiring untrustworthy GMs, (Archie, aka Paradise being one of them), and any other staff member who has abused their privilege for their own benefit. Most of the items that were distributed only by (Archie) have been traced and removed.

I will not make any promises, but you can mark my word that there are a lot of good plans ahead of us, we are patiently compiling these plans into a detailed list, in which we will follow precisely, to improve the server in every aspect possible. After all, this has been a great learning experience so far, nothing occurs from nothing, thus everything happens for a reason.

Staff members whom will be hired from now on forward will under-go full trial-tests, as well as background-checks, based on a evaluation process (these folks will be paid, and they will not be allowed to have legitimate characters). And you can be rest assured, that they will not have access to any commands that will allow them to create items, and or have other advantages. We will place a nerf on most of the commands, making them only accessible to a certain extent.

I understand adding a command log viewer on the main website would be an additional plus, but you must have to realize, anything that is coded/created by an individual could easily be altered, thus I urge you to not be fooled by this new system that other servers are generating.

All in all, to summarize the reply, I realize fully my management ways have certainly not been very professional as of lately, and I am willing to accept this as a positive blame, in which is a learning experience in my eye, and from here on, we could only move forward, with the community's support.

That is all for now,

Be well.

P.S.: There is no reason to take anything personal, holding grudges will not help.

[Cawliflower]

I guess you have nothing better to do with your time that you have to insult and criticize every topic about EvolveRO that comes up.

Not insult (that's eRO's staff, not I). Criticize, maybe?  It happens whenever a thread about me comes up. Why not?

It appears you have nothing better to do with your time but to post on these threads, as well. Touche.

[potatopie]

As a humble RO player who doesn't play any low rates (anymore), it is inevitable that people will be using macros and other advantages in competitive play. Indeed it is wrong and should be banned for. However, screenshots or even recordings from players are still a gray area for proof. What can be sufficient is for GMs to check suspects' HP bars and when potion spamming occur. Usually those are the popular macros. Others include turbo F1 keys, auto-hide from Asura, etc. Then again it's hard to prove whether or not they are cheating without everyone providing proof such as this: aeRO Mayaan Heart Breaker 2nd Counter Video  (A.k.a. Counter Videos)

Now trying to get a feel for the low rates' issues, I anonymously played evolveRO solely for talking. Moments into playing, I saw on #main to a link for a macro and already my suspicions were confirmed. (I do have a screenshot, and I will post it when I get back to my normal PC). I ask of some of the long time players and people say that: "Macros are just part of RO. It is necessary."

Just a little insight (Not actually for nor against).

[Playtester]

Not like I want to protect this server, but I think checking the guild forums of the guilds that are playing on your server and banning people that admit to cheat on their guild forums is totally legit. I wish some official server publishers would do that to get rid of all the cheaters that only cheat if nobody is around so it can hardly be proven. Cheating is totally unfair and all means to ban it should be allowed and not looked down upon.

Of course it still matters what the relevant posts actually say. There is a big difference between players saying that they use it and an old post with a tutorial how to use it from years before the existence of the current server (as there are indeed other servers that totally allow it). I haven't seen those guild forums so I can't tell.

[RoseTea]

The GMs admit to having access to private guild forums, which is a huge break of trust.

You state this, but you haven't explained HOW it's a "break of trust".  Would trust have been broken if a guild member reported the cheating to the GMs instead?  What are we exactly trusting who with in the first place, anyway?

[Meta]

There was no evidence of cheating to file a report with.