Should spamming be allowed in the FM Entrance?

This is starting to become a catfight between Matt and Rob... -gets popcorn-

No, but all jokes aside... Matt, everything you say is not making sense. If it would, then Rob wouldn't be able to easily counter all arguments you brought to the table. Expecting 80% is idiotic and practically impossible, lets face it.

Maybe you should also answer Rob's questions after 120 posts in this thread...

 

I can't even tell if you're being ignorant or just plainly trolling.
The action, as stated in the title of this thread, is whether spamming in the FM entrance is allowed. As shown on the poll, majority of the people in Royals do not want the FM to be filled with spam. And that right there is the action.
By the way, there is no other place where a social gatherings can take place so easily in Royals. Imagine, walking in and having the chatbox filled with B>@@@@@@@@@ or S>@@@@@@@@ while you try to initiate a conversation. Tell me, won't you fill annoyed?
And for some reason, you insist that 52% or 48% (which is the majority by the way) is not enough to enforce a rule. Then, what is your ideal percentage? 80%? 90%? Let me tell you, on such a controversial topic, such percentages are rarely, or if not ever, seen. By the way, I find it funny that you are trying to argue against Robb, and suddenly you pull "What was the action?". It's as if you forgot what you are trying to argue against (which is blatantly pointless on your side).

 

Maybe he suffers from anterograde amnesia.

 

May I put forward an alternative solution for consideration, please?

I'll call this solution "Chalkboard Culture".

First of all, we see if Gi is able to fix the Chalkboards so that they can be seen by people who have just entered the map as well as people who are already on it. If this is possible and isn't a bigger task for Gi than fixing the blacklist would be, then this is the scenario I have in mind:

~~~~~​

Spammer X enters the FM and starts spamming rapidly and persistently, despite the fact that s/he absolutely doesn't need to in order to get noticed. Other players who are irritated by the spam approach player X and say: "You don't need to spam, we usually use Chalkboards here."

If the Spammer X shows any willingness to listen, other players can then explain that they're available from the Cash Shop for 1k nx (under Etc > Game > page 5). They might also want to mention that you can trade and chat just fine while using a chalkboard to advertise your items and that it's a lot less effort than spamming and doesn't stop other people from having a conversation.

(We could presumably add them for sale fairly cheaply in Fredrick (for Mesos), for those who don't want to part with their NX.)

If Spammer X has no intention of listening, that's the time to do ~gm.

GM arrives and asks Spammer X to use a Chalkboard instead of spamming. If Spammer X says s/he can't afford a Chalkboard, the GM points out that you can still buy/sell stuff without spamming so much. If Spammer X still continues to spam, the GM says "OK, I'll mute you for 6 hours if you don't stop spamming," and gives Spammer X chance to reply or stop spamming. If Spammer X still insists on spamming after that, the GM mutes him/her for 6 hours. (Feel free to suggest a different length of time if you wish.)

~~~~~​

If this way of doing things seems to be mostly successful, then we'd only have to ban people who we notice are persistent, repeat offenders. This way, newcomers would be given a fair chance to adapt to a slightly different but ever-so-convenient FM culture.

You can do most things with a chalkboard above your head, although it will disappear if you enter one of the FM rooms. Otherwise, you can chat, leap around, sit, use your skills, kill mobs, trade, get on your mount, go through portals and use potions with a chalkboard open.

This would also mean that traders and socializers could happily hang out in the FM at the same time, thus allowing conversation to flow freely without impeding traders, and traders could buy and sell without annoying anyone who just wants to chat. It would also mean that GMs could talk to people in the FM without being fighting against a near-solid wall of spam. (Let's face it, GMs probably shouldn't blacklist people unless really necessary, because even spammers have a right to ingame help, the same as anyone else.

Thoughts, anyone?

EDIT: Oh, Matt posted and closed the topic while I was writing and researching my reply. I guess if you like my suggestion, you can just hit the like button, and Matt can give his opinion easily enough.

EDIT2: Having seen how spammy the conversation is in the FM lately, Chalkboards would be a better option for traders, too, if they were fixed. And hey, we could even make a Royal Tip about them!

 

For those who have paid any attention to my posts in this thread, they'd know that Kat's suggestion is all I ever asked for. And I even brought up a similar suggestion, if not so in depth, before. So much for expecting people to pay attention.

 

This isn't really action in regards to dealing with the removal of spam. This is just research and suggestions.

Also percentages isn't everything. Just because 1 more person votes for no does that mean we need to make drastic changes to the game?

 

That's the point, no action was taken when people called for it. And this isn't a drastic change in any way, it's hardly even a change. Spamming has forever been taboo, it's a continuation of the status quo and enforcing the already in place rule.

Anyway, what do you think of Kat's suggestion?

 

I think chalkboards only work if the amount of people in fm using them are very small.

Chalkboards do no display your IGN so it wouldn't be a very good solution when numbers increase as people may be overlapping and chalkboards could also overlap.

Also chalkboards have a lower character limit so it wouldn't work for people who wanted to mass sell things.

 

The thing is, the amount of people selling or buying things in the FM is small at the moment, and the FM isn't so overcrowded that you can't see where the chalkboard is coming from.

In the future, when the FM is only used for selling/buying this May be an issue. But that'll only be when (IF) the FM becomes so crowded that spamming is the only way to do business.

 

You could always enter your IGN in the chalkboard, e.g. "Linyah B> Candles 20k ea" or "Robb S> AP Resets" and the issue would be solved.

 

If possible, the limit on the chalkboard could be increased too. It would help with adding names and more crap onto the chalkboard.

 

I don't even get why this small issue has even been brought up. You guise are preventing spam from a "free market"? It's called free market for a reason, it isn't a market if spamming doesn't exist. It doesn't even make sense to even bother asking a gm to make a certain rule just because the majority vote for it. Like Matt alrdy stated the t&c rule for spamming was only applied to smegas. The free market is also programmed for a place to sell and buy stuff, not for a place to socialize even if the majority choose to do so. There are always other places like fm ch 8 or something, but half of you people choose to stay in fm ch 1, then it's really your problem since you decide to put yourself into a situation that you know spamming will occur. Now your complaining about it, wow amazing

 

"Spamming" in FM is part of the heart in which Maplestory was growing up for most of us, so it is understandable that Matt needs an overwhelming agreement amongst its players to implement a change that is synonymous with the game that we know and love today.

I can see why a good portion of players WANT to see this change, though. FM has become a place for socialization more than actual marketing, which is quite ironic if you look at it. With the influx of newer players it is inevitable that FM will start leaning towards its original intents (marketing) and less towards as a place to socialize.

My input would be to make an easily accesible area in which people can talk to each other without being bothered by peoples relentless marketing tactics. Channel 2 FM anyone? Leave Channel 1 for actual marketing.

Secondly, if there is currently rule against spamming, then it should be implemented. Either that or rephrase the rule to better explain the intentions of the GMs. I havent read current rule in detail since I am on the road, so disregard this if it has already been addressed.

 

I thought the point of a market was for buying and selling stuff?

 

Which includes spamming? Look at it this way, how do u sell stuff without advertising? If you see the same ad every single street u came across is that spamming? It's practically the same thing here except in the form of filling the chat so people can see.

 

You don't HAVE to spam though. This point has been made over and over in this thread. It shouldn't have to be made again.

 

You don't have to spam doesn't mean it should be not permitted to do so. Your almost saying you don't have to advertise that's why no can advertise

 

I'm not saying that you can't advertise at all. I suggest you go back and read the MANY reason why spamming is both inefficient and unnecessary.