Monday, March 19, 2012

WoT: Can you say Wittmann? I mean I mean I mean Boelter's?

My god, or, taht god.  This guy is a god -- a Wittmann's, um, Boelter's every 120.2380952380952 games.


Do I _reeeally_ need to block the name of this guy?  I mean, how on earth is this naming/shaming?  This is the inverse, this is declaring/praising or, respectin'/pimpin' or flossin'/badonkadonkin' (my god I'm white)....
Jk!  These are my stats!  Hahah! no they're not!.  It is like looking at boobs on tanks tho right?


WoT: The "It's OK To Casually TK System"

Let me be the 1st to say (hope I'm the 1st ne how), that in World of Tanks, it's ok to casually team damage and team kill....

Lemme "WoW" it: In World of Tanks, you will melt faces with team killing, if you are a veteran, in a clan, with a moderator in leadership....

Note: I sent the replay of this event to the clan leadership of the guy involved -- a guy with an account dated live start.  I sent it to the commander and deputy commanders of the clan, one of whom/who/w/e was/is a moderator on the forums.  They all read it as my messenger says so.  I have had no reply....

However, I first asked under "Clans: The Round Table" (where it says, "Clan related questions, not relating to clan wars") whether or not it was ok to send a replay to clan leadership.  I did this in part since support would not/did not address my ticket after a day or two -- I only finally got the form letter from them this morning.

You don't need a reason or a rhyme.  Don't like that song lyric that guy just quoted?  Shoot him.  Don't like the fact he just "stole your kill?"  Shoot him.  Dead, but can't shoot him/TK him?  Np, ask your platoon, still living, to do it.

Support will do absolutely, positively, nothing about it, as proof by the ticket I submitted, with title, "no ordinary TK event: platoon coordinated:"

Dear Player.
Friendly fire and team killing is automatically taken care of by the friendly fire automated system which assigns sanctions as needed.
As such, manual reports on friendly fire or team-killing are no longer required.
Additional information on the automated friendly fire and team kill system can be located on this page:
http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/32543-team-kill-autosystem/
Thank you for contacting World of Tanks support, and please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Best Regards,
David Jones
World of Tanks Management
To reply, please log in at: https://support.worldoftanks.com/
Use your registered account email and password.

(I need to say here, that, the 2 guys who did this -- 2 veteran players -- laughed hard at me saying I would report directly to support.  They were correct.  I was wrong for expecting otherwise, or, as they put it: "good luck with that.")

But I understand why wg.net has done this -- turned-over griefing daycare to a program (what are we, in The Matrix now?): support calls.  No, wait, warm bodies to handle support calls.  No, it gets bigger than that: $ to pay warm bodies to handle support calls....


Business is about the bottomline.  If a business isn't making money, then it ain't a bidness -- or won't be for long.  World of Tanks implemented an automated team damage/kill system in order to save money -- simply put, that's it, end of sentence.  Whether or not it's working doesn't matter as much.  Let's face it: it's a PR move, and the code that represents this automated system is little more than simply that -- just a binky to suck on, stuck into the player's mouths....

So, to ask the Morton Salt question (you know, "it works!") ... does it work?


Yes, no, maybe, not really, sometimes, sorta, kinda, meh -- about like the Republican Primaries....


I need to stop right now and just point out the obvious: this is a video game.  This isn't about world hunger or global disease or things that really matter.  Honestly, I feel sorta dirty wasting _this_ much time on it, but you know how it is with us guys: we worship our work, play with our charities and work at our play -- this is me working at my play.

And what _exactly_ happened that's got me so _worked_up_ about the "automatic friendly fire and team killing system?"  (let's call it AFFKS or FFSKT -- "for f*ck sake kill same-team" -- or FFTKS "f*ck friend team kill-me srsly?").

I got TKed!!!


(See bottom of this post for link to explanation on forums)

About now you're saying, "FKD, bro, get over it...."  Who cares?  Go play!  Or, better yet:



I will, am, can, maybe, but I gotsa bleed my own blood first, milk this cow, get this out....

This issue has brought to my attention ... tings.  Tings?  Yes, tings....


Tings, I mean, things like (exit method acting):

So, go ahead and team damage or team kill.  It falls into the great system of the databases of the internets of the worlds of tanks.  You will has a number on your namez and that nummerz will mean  if you r bad r not.  If u r pug player only then you get away with more, but if you are in a clan you get away with less ... no, not really.  If you are in a clan, you get away with more than if you were not -- them clans and people of power got your back.

And let's not forget, that if you misuse or don't understand or handle badly the reporting system, you build bad rank in it as well....

Lemme sum-up here:


--If you casually team damage or team kill, it sorta gives you bad numbers that go back down, sorta like a mild STD.

--Likewise, if you do the reporting system wrong, it sorta gives you bad numbers that go back down, sorta like a mild STD.

Basically, WG.net is saying, "erm, stfu and give us money, I mean I mean I mean, play the gd game...."

So, I sent the replay to the clan leaders of this guy whose account has been around since live date, a possible beta tester to boot, who cooridinated this TK on me (again, I asked 1st if this was ok).  I informed the moderator of this clan too who is in leadership in it.  What did I hear in return?


^get it?^

I need to cut to the chase.  This shiziznits it borked, broke, don't work, doesn't fly, won't pitch a tent....


Alright, bring it home.  Here's some ideas I'm just gonna chuck at Wargaming.net:

  • Turn friendly fire off (no way!!!).
  • Hold clans -- that you charge money to make, so we know you have more money due to clan creation -- more accountable than the average, pug, joe.
  • Hire more admins/moderators/boots-on-the-ground to look into each issue.
  • Give weight to the a players account based on: 1. Actual amount of time playing the game, 2. Whether in a clan or not, 3. Whether a moderator or not, 4. Whether a clan leader or not.
I mean, you're telling me that the guy on day 1 in the lolertracktor who TKs the Cunningham gets the EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF WEIGHTS IN THE FRIENDLY FIRE AND TEAM DAMAGE SYSTEM AS ME?!?  As a forum moderator?  As a clan leader?

This wrong bro....


Now, I realize this will take something that wargaming.net is supposed to be good at.  What will it take?

Coding:
^this^

But I hope they do.  I hope they fix this.

Being a fapping boy for veterans in a clan ran by moderators in a pug game is no fun.  It makes me want to quit the game, more than anything, this has discourged me from playing WoT, a game I have been passionate about and loyal to ... longer than the guys who coordinated in a platoon to TK me, longer than the clan commanders and moderator that run their clan.  I'm yo daddy!!!


Did you hear that wg.net?!?  GETTING TKed By vets in a clan with moderators and ignored and scoffed at and laughed has MORE THAN ANYTHING MADE ME THINK ABOUT LEAVING THIS GAME!!!

But I just don't know how to quit you....



Where does this leave us plebs?  Us non-cool-best-of-all-stats-talented-clans-with-forum-mods-and-stuff-in-our-ranks?

Stay out of the way of pros if you joe
  • Do not taunt dynamite monkey or guys in clans with moderators
  • Do not ask clans people questions on the forums regarding member conduct


More:


If possible, TK, TD (team kill and team damage) back.  Why not?  What will happen?  Nothing.  Not a gd thing.  Not one little thing....

So far, the work to date has seemingly gone into a lot of work to help support.  And I can appreciate that:

-Location of screenshots (for those bazillion support tickets asking, "where are my screenshots? I gotta kiil! I can't find the screnshot! how do I take a screenshot ne how?" support tickets).
-A mod folder (for those, "I installed this mod and now my computer only shows chinese characters" support tickets).
-And, of course, the grandpappy of helping-out-support: friendly fire and team damage automatic system: (for those, "I got shot by a team mate! halp! I'm diez!") tickets....
-Almost forgot, the child of the FF&TDAS, the reporting placebo, I mean, the in-game reporting system.

*Cough*Soylent Green*Cough*


Boy fatkid, time for another grahpic right?  Yes indeed:

^support tiket! get it?!^


And this brings us to an area of blaspheme, of great chagrin, of horror!!!

Name and Shame....

"And the lord god said unto moses: thou shalt not name and shame.  If thou hast in thine midst a name and shamer, thou shalt hand him overest to the hand of an avenger, and the holy avenger of the lord shalt smite him, and being smited, he shall be smote, and burn in smotedness like the heathen of those that name and shame and stuff."

And Moses sayeth unto the lord his godeth, "Oh lord god, what if he who is named and shamed did something very, very, very wrong and unsportsmanlike and he is a veteran player and in a way cool clan?"

And the lord god said, "dun't matter.  I meenit.  Just dun matter.  Don't make me come down there...."

And Moses is like, "hey, was Cain and name and shamer?  Did he shame-name Able?"

And god was like, "oh yea, that n00b, he named-shamed Able hard, and so, I banz0r3d him bad.  He's so banz0rd, that red-textedd thread will remain forever.  Cuz like, team damaging and team killing is fine, but you go and name that guy -- oh man, I come down on you like Chuck Norris...."


So, where are we?

1. Team damage and Team kill all day, no problem.  If you are a moderator, wiki editor, closed beta tester, clan commander, developer, or, especially, these guys:



It's perfectly ok.

But you go name/shame/blame/lame, you bad and go to hell and stuff.

Idk.  I think I'm done now.  I will go into the west, and remain Galadriel....



But, obviously, don't TD or TK me, or I'll blog and I'll blog hard, or, if you like my blog then do eet all time....

Hrm, maybe peeps will TK me more than ever now....


But, you know, more than anything, I'd love to just post the replay and the pricks names that did this, but I cantz, or else, wg.net will quit me.  And I'd mess 'em too much:


Update: I want to add here the fallout of the auto team damage, friendly fire, team killing system in World of Tanks:
  • Players have no qualms shooting teammates or killing them.
  • Players can retaliate, to the full extent of that desire, within a single battle for whatever reason.
  • Players will be hesitant to interact, say words in retort, cross clans people or play to the full extent of what the vehicle they are in might be able to do (in my case, the guy felt that, as an arty, I should know better than to kill a tank he was trying to kill)
  • Players can look for and hunt down those that have TKed them in the past, go for entire clans this way, and the griefing continues
  • The automated system actually encourages, does not discourge, team damage and team killing events in World of Tanks.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

WoT: 7.2 News

Regarding upcoming World of Tanks 7.2 Patch/Update:

WoT News About 7.2 Update: Ttanks Parameters & Qualification Badges

Apparently, this blurb is about qualifying for guys to be renamed "Norman."  Jk.  It addresses, "Renorming" crew skills -- before 7.2, based on 133% crew skill and it's about "Qualification Badges."  The examples given are driving skills?

Qualification badges resemble real qualification badges, which were given to tankees for professionalism and combat skills.

Historically, tank or SPG driver’s qualification badge was awarded to generals, officers, sergeants, or soldiers of armored troops; they were established by the USSR Defense Minister’s order on April 6, 1954. Four degrees of badges were introduced then: Master Driver and Class I, Class II, and Class III Driver. Along with badges, a person received a certificate, confirming specialist’s class. Officers purchased badges with real money, whereas military conscripts gained them for free.

^this ^

So, Class III will be called Jeff Gordon, Class II, Dale Jr. and Class I Dale Sr.?


^Is Happy^

Altergamer.com & Qualification Badges in 7.2



Get it?  Patch? Eye Patch? Ok, it's an update not a patch, but couldn't resist....

Saturday, March 17, 2012

WoT: Everyday I'm Hummelin'....

WoT: fatkiddown’s List of Cool Links:

It's all about stats right?


Honestly, I am neither promoting nor demoting the principle that stats matter.  Having said that, I provide the following:

Dossier munchers:
http://tank-tracker.com/Default.aspx

Enter a user ID from WoT into this, and wait.  It'll track stats, avg xp, dmg, etc.  It also provides a nifty graphic lots use in their forum sigs, etc.

http://wot.ctocopok.ru/load_cache_e.php

One of the oldest dossier munchers.  I like it lots and still use.  It provides tons of info, including achievements, types of tanks destroyed (good to have for "Master Tanker" achievement), etc.

It is a Russian-based site.


No, that's not the guy who runs it, but it's the first pic when I googled, "Russian flag."

http://wot-dossier.appspot.com/dossier

Another dossier muncher akin to the one at ctocopok.  It provides cool tabs, graphics (tank icons) and some info that the former does not.

In order to use the last 2 mentioned, you have to know the location of your dossier_cache file.  It will here:

Dossier cache location:
%appdata%\wargaming.net\WorldOfTanks\dossier_cache

(Both sites do indeed reveal this UNC path too)


One thing I began doing some time back, was making copies of my dossier file, and archiving by renaming with date at the end.  That way, I can see more granulated info on my progress in individual tanks or overall.

Compare players:
http://wot-news.com/index.php/stat/compare/us

This last site provides a very cool way of comparing yourself to other players, as well as seeing your "weight" or "worth" within their system.  Some have complained that it measure these values by top tiers, and gives less worth to lower-tiered vehicles.  Still, fun to use.

Friday, March 16, 2012

WoT: German Disruptive Camo Paint In 7.2

I decided to comment on the up-coming, new, German camo paint patterns in World of Tanks release, 7.2.  I have, so far, not been overly impressed with the German paint offered in the first release (I feel the U.S. and Russian patterns are very nice); albeit, I realize they are apparently original, WG.net simply left out my fav.  I am happy to see this changing, and they are adding my all-time favorite pattern of, not just the war, but ever!

German Disruptive Camo!

Disclaimer: I'm calling it "Disruptive Pattern" as that's the term I've seen used a lot for it and/or, I personally like it.  I do not know if this is what the pattern is truly called.  Any help is invited.  It seems most refer to it as simply, "Diagonal Pattern."

Mind you, I am not _certain_ that WG.net is going for the same pattern, as they have not separated the colors via the white lines/stripes.  Still, it looks close.

Also, another thing I feel missing from the patterns WG.net is offering is adequate weathering.  The examples below -- especially the modeling -- does a lovely job of fading the paint as it gets closer to the ground.  As someone told me recently of modeling: weathering is everything.  Without it, it just looks like a toy....

I have longed to see this paint pattern in game, for the German tanks (especially the Panther I), and it is now here (for the most part) ... the legendary, German, late war, Disruptive Camo.  I read about it some time back via several sources, one here (also, this is where I took several of the images below from).  If anyone has/finds others, please send along.  Until then, enjoy:

From WG.net:


Other examples of this pattern done in fine CGI:




Some rare, original, images of this camo:




One of my fav iterations of this design comes from a Japanese magazine:


Here, a professional modeler put this camo to work, and nails it:




Some snippets from previous-mentioned source site:

implemented late in the war (March-ish 45, to be exact) was a protocol calling for an olivgrun base coat with hard edged dunkelgelb over, in a disruptive pattern; somewhere I got the idea it was in great angled areas. 

Perhaps it's this very-late-war dark yellow-over-olive green scheme?

And:

Those Panthers are from Pz. Abt. 25, 15.Pz. Gren. Div. in the Oderbrueck near Kuestrin in very early 2/45. The images are grabs from a clip that I think you can find on Youtube. The diagonal striped camo was used by MNH for the entire factory-camo period. No, it didn't extend to upper surfaces (compare the hardedge pattern used by MAN and DB, which did, as far as I can tell.) As the color profile at your link shows, the stripes divide apparent dunkelgruen RAL 6003 areas from areas of rotbraun RAL 8017. The photo from the Jakl book posted above to show the plain upper surfaces (PR27/19.PD [?] in Czechy) doesn't show the brown-green difference nearly as clearly, but that may well be because that photo was taken with western panchromatic film instead of German orthochromatic film, which makes anything with red values very dark. Green is the base color.