Just a couple things: players are not notified if scores are
DQ'ed, but generally are notified if their scores are deleted. This
isn't really deliberate malice on the part of the Editors--to be
honest, two of us are trying to learn the scripts well enough to put
some kind of a system in place. It isn't easy.
<p>
As for Intrepid, it was a rare occasion, as only two games that I am
aware of have seen a mass zeroing because of beta problems: Intrepid
and Bullfight (Japan). This one was my fault. I posted about the
problem to the message board (either once or twice, I forget) and
nobody responded. Period. So I didn't think it was a very big issue
for anyone.
<p>
I don't think MARP is dead, it's just in one of those transition
periods it hits every 6 months or so. However, as a number of players
have mentioned, the old MARP is dead in many ways. It was dying when I
arrived over a year ago, as several key players were on their way out,
including, essentially, the first rules coordinator, a player I very
much respect and would have enjoyed the opportunity to play against.
<p>
There was a time when MARP worked alsmot completely on the honor
system. Hell, even screenshots were allowed if your .inp didn't play
back. But by mid-year '99, serious problems were starting to form. A
few players had started looking for ways to take advantage of others
at MARP. Three top 10 or former top 10 players have had over 300
recordings deleted (total) because they were obviously played
subspeed. One of these players used to be the #1 player at MARP, a
player who miraculously went from 'pretty good' to 'unbeatable.' The
message boards had become a frequent vent for players not happy with
not having rules, players not happpy with someone's .inp, payers not
happy with other players, etc. People said MARP was going to die.
<p>
The a few months later, it looked like we were going to lose our
hosting. Drastic measures were taken to cut back the space required by
the scripts. Fights erupted among payers as to what an 'acceptable'
score was (an issue that I happened to be on the losing side of) MARP
was, again, pronounced about to die. It didn't.
<p>
People who love games will keep coming back to MARP. I took a break
during T1 when the frustration over the rules (yes, I've been
frustrated by rules here too) and the cheating got too bad (if you
think all us Editors are chummy, you should have seen the fights Pat
Laffaye and I had over Us vs. Them), and simply left the site for a
few weeks. Many other players have taken these sabbaticals; some
haven't or won't return. If you want to blame the Editors for this,
than fine, that's part of what we have to accept as our job. And I
hope you'll forgive me if I sometimes pay more attention to other
players helping to confirm recordings, or pointing things out, or
discussing things with me on #marp, than I do to the complaints on the
message board. Like boxster said in his other thread, somebody has to
run the show. If you don't want the Editors to do it, then someone is
going to have to find away to grant other people score and site access
without converting #marp into total anarchy. The players who are
Editors right now are Editors because they believe in a vision of MARP
that is fair for all players involved, and is true to the maxim 'one
coin, most skill'. Gameboy9 and I debated this the other day after the
mess with Tommi: whether the vote was for a suspension of the rules or
a violation of MARP's spirit--I strongly feel the latter.
<p>
I'm sorry that we had to sacrifice some fun at MARP. But I'm not sorry
for what it's become. Players posting their scores here, for the most
part, can be confident that where there scores show up is a fair
representation of their skill level, and not worry that someone has
cheated the system to beat them. A few players here have accused the
Editors of being elitist: fair enough, we are. We have to be. Every
single complaint about MARP affects us, and we have to make decisions,
often ones we know are going to annoy or anger players. Is what is
being said a priority, or someone's personal agenda? An example with
the pc_10 games: I discussed the issue with most players, and everyone
seemed content to wait one beta until we could up the time from the
dips. Then when one player who wasn't in the loop cries 'foul',
everyone forgets their resolution and starts yelling. I'm no better,
in many ways. I don't like being told what I can and can't do any more
than anyone else, especially when I HAVE to do certain things to
preserve the rules. As JSW said, sometimes we get swelled heads, and
have to be reminded that our opinions are worth the same as everyone
else's. Well, I think the community does a pretty good job of that.
<p>
The Editors are always ultimately accountable to the rules of MARP and
the MARP community. The day we aren't is the day MARP dies. I don't
know what gameboy9 has planned for Sunday--none of us do--but I hope
players will attend and discuss things with him.
<p>
Sincerely,
<p>
Q.T.Quazar, MARP Rules Coordinator
--
qan@home.com
Perhaps this way MARP can be saved.
)