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TOPIC: Change in Ghost Policy

Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #49

Brad Mortensen wrote:
Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


The way it was explained to me is we must scan in the buyer's badge AND the other player badge at the same time to properly work the system. I signed a paper saying I would abide by their rules, so I can't allow ghosts according to how it works -- unless that person has 9 other real badges.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #50

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Jeff Martin wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote:
Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


The way it was explained to me is we must scan in the buyer's badge AND the other player badge at the same time to properly work the system. I signed a paper saying I would abide by their rules, so I can't allow ghosts according to how it works -- unless that person has 9 other real badges.


So you are NOT saying we as players just need some dummy badges that we can scan for ghosts. Say 5 badges that can be scanned for runs whenever a a ghost is going to be used.
You either discover a star or you don't. You arrogant punk.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #51

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Jeff Martin wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote:
Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


The way it was explained to me is we must scan in the buyer's badge AND the other player badge at the same time to properly work the system. I signed a paper saying I would abide by their rules, so I can't allow ghosts according to how it works -- unless that person has 9 other real badges.



So hypothetically if say a double-down group for example had 5 friends who were willing to turn up at check-in, get their badges scanned along with the e-ticket holder then "wonder off" from training say after treasure enhancers were verified, what would happen with their treasure? Could the remaining players effectively ghost without breaking any rules?
Semper Gumby, Always flexible.

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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #52

Gamers game. It’s what we do. So I’m sure we’re smart enough to get around GenCon’s rules. And we didn’t sign any papers.

But, I for one don’t want to cause Jeff any trouble.

But few things annoy me more than an “improvement” that actually makes things worse.

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe" - Magritte
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #53

kurtreznor wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote: Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


This has never before been an option. TD has always (as far as i know) required the player to hand in a waiver and have the wristband put on their wrist. If you want to ghost, you must have multiple wristbands put on by the check-in people. They never let you go with a wristband not on a wrist.

I recently suggested allowing handing out wristbands to the buyer (and collecting waivers in training) as a potential solution to many issues arising from the e-tickets. Logistics of the buyer needing to check in all 10 players, dealing with late players, and ghosts were all potentially able to be 'fixed' by that method.

But all that is moot if gencon simply wont allow a single player to cash in multiple tickets on a single badge. The e-ticket system as i understand it is that if i bought all 10 tickets, i get my badge scanned, it says i have 9 more tickets, you can then scan up to 9 more badges to have those players use your extra tickets. I expect you can scan only a few, get them in, and cancel out still have more tickets on your account. Those players get to go in, while you as the buyer have to wait for everyone else to show up. Repeat scanning your badge followed by other badges to check them in. If the system doesnt let you scan the same badge to use more than one ticket, there will be no way for TD to allow a ghost.


If the system does not allow for more than 1 ticket to be used on a badge then why was GenCon not forthcoming before allowing multiple tickets for a badge. This would affect all events that are trying electronic tickets.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #54

Jeff Martin wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote:
Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


The way it was explained to me is we must scan in the buyer's badge AND the other player badge at the same time to properly work the system. I signed a paper saying I would abide by their rules, so I can't allow ghosts according to how it works -- unless that person has 9 other real badges.


Was this discovered after event registration? Or did something change after event registration?

May provide for you to push to go to paper tickets.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #55

When asked at grocery check out, "paper or plastic?" I always say "paper please."


So now I say "paper please." This change has "cluster" written all over it.
D&D teaches all the important lessons in life - the low blow, the cheap shot, the back stab, the double cross. - Jerry Marsischky

Let them trap us. We have our swords. - Elric of Melnibone.

You try to get them to play the game, but all they want to do is play the rules. - Ardak Kumerian

I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend - Faramir
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #56

When I bought out entire runs for GenCon, the boxes I checked were labeled as "Another ticket for me". That wording sure seems to indicate that I should be able to do a solo run with those tickets (in fact, a strict reading could be that I should only be able to do a solo run).

Or was there something else we agreed to in one of the various documents that we all clicked through without reading that says when we click "another ticket for me" that we need a second person to show up with their badge?
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #57

Jeff Martin wrote:

Brad Mortensen wrote:
Forget ghosting for a minute. I thought that someone with ten tickets on their account could cash them all in at once, get their wristbands and pass them out. You’re saying that this is not true? Do they have to transfer each individual ticket to different individual badges? What a cluster. I mean, that sounds suboptimal.


The way it was explained to me is we must scan in the buyer's badge AND the other player badge at the same time to properly work the system. I signed a paper saying I would abide by their rules, so I can't allow ghosts according to how it works -- unless that person has 9 other real badges.


I'm guessing that TD loses the revenue for a "non scanned" ticket, just like a paper ticket not turned in.

It sounds like last minute no shows will leave both the ticket buyer and TD holding the bag.

I think we are getting the short end of the stick on this. The sharp pointy short end of the stick. :angry:
D&D teaches all the important lessons in life - the low blow, the cheap shot, the back stab, the double cross. - Jerry Marsischky

Let them trap us. We have our swords. - Elric of Melnibone.

You try to get them to play the game, but all they want to do is play the rules. - Ardak Kumerian

I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend - Faramir
Last edit: by Harlax.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #58

Any good ideas for T-shirt slogan like,


"I went to a convention in Indy and all I was able to afford was this lousy T-shirt due to electronic tickets"


"Damn you electronic tickets!"


"Don't get pinch by using electronic tickets"

"Just say no to electronic tickets"
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #59

I am coaching every night from 3pm to 11 something
If anyone needs a badge scanned you can come find me. I will be glad to do
It.
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Change in Ghost Policy 5 years 10 months ago #60

Mike Steele wrote:

Jeff Martin wrote: Thanks for all the feedback on this subject. I am sorry for all the chaos with this new Gen Con electronic ticketing system. I got other feedback from other folks via PM and someone raised a very valid point that I can't really dispute.

Problem #1: We don't know what is going to happen at Gen Con regarding ghosting until almost August. We gotta let folks know NOW as it can effect plans for Origins and Gen Con.

Problem #2: If it turns out that we can't do ghosting at Gen Con then we are effectively really dorking collectors over for the whole year since their TEs won't have any good place to be used. That is just not right in my view.

So,..the best course of action is for us to say NOW that there will be no ghosting at Gen Con AND that ALL ghosting restrictions have been lifted from all the other Cons in the 2018-2019 season. I know it kinda sucks in that it encourages a lot of farming at the smaller Cons, but I think I am painted into a corner here.

The reason I think we have to go ahead and say NOW that no ghosting is allowed at Gen Con is so folks can refund/trade their Gen Con tickets now while the time is ripe. Also, I am really worried about major headaches coming our way this year due to the new ticket system, and removing the chance to ghost at Gen Con will make the new system much easier to implement.

So...we don't have a lot of great options...just a least sucky one here. The plan would be to:

1) Announce no ghosting at Gen Con 2018

2) Announce no ghosting restrictions at other Cons during 2018-2019 season. Be ready for some farming to happen but anyone doing so has to wear a straw hat throughout dungeon (just kidding on the last part).


Thoughts?


Hi Jeff,

I'm totally onboard with no Ghosting at GENCON - although do you mean that you get no treasure enhancing tokens if you do ghost players, or that there is no ghosting period? I'm guessing the latter since the ticketing system may be the problem.

Regarding the smaller conventions, I really think you need to have some restrictions on ghosting. Otherwise, you're in a situation where it's very probable that players can easily turn a profit on ghost players, and token farming could absorb so many tickets that it could keep some actual people from playing.

I don't think Problem Statement #2 "If it turns out that we can't do ghosting at Gen Con then we are effectively really dorking collectors over for the whole year since their TEs won't have any good place to be used." is valid. Players / Collectors could still use their TEs for their own personal use. If you have a Treasure Coin cap of 10 for Ghost players, that still gives up to 7 points of TE to be used for Ghost Players. And, most importantly, people with extra TE tokens still have the option of recruiting players to act as living "ghosts", where the player with the extra TE tokens will pay for the ticket if the person is willing to give them the treasure coins.

To summarize, I'd recommend going with no ghosting at GENCON, and still keeping a cap (10 treasure coins seems reasonable) for ghost players at the smaller conventions. At smaller conventions people with extra TE tokens can have Ghost players with the treasure coin cap or they can recruit players (like newbie runs) with no Treasure Coin cap.

Thanks!
Mike


+1 to this
"Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view" - Obi Wan Kenobi
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