WGDs, Stores, and Items

[MsMary]

Yay, Vain!

And what was so bad about the Casino? I enjoyed playing it from time to time.

[I'm Murrin]

If it's possible, I'd say putting an upper limit on the size of individual donations would be a good idea.

MsMary--I think the problem seen with the casino is that it was pretty much just a way to get free WGDs, which invalidates the whole WGD-as-reward setup. (I'm not sure where the new Sudoku fits on the system, though, as the new one gives WGD rewards to the people on top of the leaderboard...)

[sgt.null]

i want retroactive wgd's. for all of my personalities.

[kevinswatch]

I don't think so, Tim.-jay

[sgt.null]

who is tim? blasted confusion type space ergot!

[Vain]

I think we should keep the casino and anything that is hyper-addictive....that way I can integrate paid advertising into the games and make millions in real money.....

[Menolly]

<--- was a poor lowly newbie Watcher when the WGDs disappeared. Most of this talk is soaring right over my head...

[matrixman]

Menolly, what happened was that one of the casino games had a glitch in it that basically meant you could win it every single time, thereby allowing you to acquire obscene amounts of WGD's very quickly.

As I understand it, that glitch in the casino was the weak point - or one of the weak points - in the phpBB code of the previous "version" of KW that allowed hackers (apparently based in Turkey) to break in and wreak havoc. That happened right at the start of 2005, if I recall correctly. I've heard that those hackers weren't especially talented, they just happened to find an easy way into the system and exploited it.

KW's current code is supposed to be more secure, though how much more secure I don't know. More knowledgeable types like Vain or Murrin would know, I imagine.

[Menolly]

Menolly, what happened was that one of the casino games had a glitch in it that basically meant you could win it every single time, thereby allowing you to acquire obscene amounts of WGD's very quickly.

Like post counts, I didn't really pay that much attention to WGDs, once I found there was nothing I could buy with them. So, earning obscene amounts in a game would make no never mind to me.

What I do remember was how it made me feel welcome when I was gifted with like 500 or so WGDs, just for my first post, by Alynna, I think it was. That helped make the Watch a special place, right from the start.

As I understand it, that glitch in the casino was the weak point - or one of the weak points - in the phpBB code of the previous "version" of KW that allowed hackers (apparently based in Turkey) to break in and wreak havoc. That happened right at the start of 2005, if I recall correctly. I've heard that those hackers weren't especially talented, they just happened to find an easy way into the system and exploited it.

*nodding*
I remember the Turk hack, so it was after May of 2005. I was miserable, until I also realized you could post and read once you went past the Index page.

KW's current code is supposed to be more secure, though how much more secure I don't know. More knowledgeable types like Vain or Murrin would know, I imagine.

If Vain is seriously talking about bringing them back, it must be pretty secure.

[drew]

As long as people stop crying if someone else has too many.

[matrixman]

Like post counts, I didn't really pay that much attention to WGDs, once I found there was nothing I could buy with them. So, earning obscene amounts in a game would make no never mind to me.

You have a point there. I also did not do much with my WGDs, either because a) there wasn't much left to buy or b) the remaining desirable items were too rich for my modest WGD account.

What I do remember was how it made me feel welcome when I was gifted with like 500 or so WGDs, just for my first post, by Alynna, I think it was. That helped make the Watch a special place, right from the start.

Yes, I did that too - awarded WGDs to newbies who made excellent posts. I have no problem with this.

[Cheval]

Menolly, what happened was that one of the casino games had a glitch in it that basically meant you could win it every single time, thereby allowing you to acquire obscene amounts of WGD's very quickly.

Hey, wait a minute.
I won my WGDs fair 'n' square playing cards
and it wasn't easy to move up through the ranks and get to the top.
(A lot of patients and skill were involved)

[kevinswatch]

Don't forget the dastardly acts by the Terry Brooks Hack Team.-jay

[MsMary]

Menolly, what happened was that one of the casino games had a glitch in it that basically meant you could win it every single time, thereby allowing you to acquire obscene amounts of WGD's very quickly.

How come I never found that glitch?

[sgt.null]

conspiracy. i never found that game after. loose slots my eye!

[matrixman]

I seem to remember hearing that the blackjack game was the culprit.

Oh, and I finally voted in the poll: meh.

[dlbpharmd]

I remember the Turk hack, so it was after May of 2005. I was miserable, until I also realized you could post and read once you went past the Index page.

IIRC it was fall 2005 or maybe even early 2006.

[Menolly]

That sounds more like it.

[sgt.null]

the power, the only vote that matters...

[matrixman]

I remember the Turk hack, so it was after May of 2005. I was miserable, until I also realized you could post and read once you went past the Index page.

IIRC it was fall 2005 or maybe even early 2006.

Yeah, then it must've been Jan '06, because I remember it occurring around New Year's. Watchers were just coming back from the holidays but couldn't log on, so a bunch of us ended up on Chatbane -- the one thing we always thought was buggy, and yet the one thing that still worked at the time of the hack.