Due to the recent circumstances, there has arisen a move to boycott Shadow Cities -- in ALL activity -- for a full 48 hours.

That's no login, no mana purchase, no PM, no responding to E-beacons, turning off SC Notifications, no forum posting, no FB activity, no likes, etcetera. Shadow Cities Free For FortyEight.

The time span will be this coming weekend, from midnight Helsinki time between Friday and Saturday,
until midnight between Sunday and Monday Helsinki time.

So.

That's beginning Friday, May 25th, 2012, at 2100 hours (9 PM) UTC
until Sunday, May 27th, 2012, at 2100 hours (9 PM) UTC.

For the United States, that's beginning Friday at 5PM Eastern, 4PM Central, 3PM Mountain, 2PM Pacific, ending on same time on Sunday.

You may need to do some math to come up with your own local time, and I can try to help.

------

The reasons for this boycott are manifold.

The substantive and actionable reasons are as follows:

We need clear communication from Grey Area as to which actions are abusive and will lead to banning of an account -- immediately. Many of us have lost confidence that we can continue to play within the program provided, dealing with the crashes, the bugs and glitches, and not lose access to our accounts at some point in the future. We understand that we can't undo account bans, nor learn exactly why they were banned. We just want to feel more secure in participating with our money and our time.

We want new content. Summer begins June 20th. The last named spirit (I think) was the Yule Goat, which left at the beginning of the year. More substantial content is, of course, welcome as well. We want this beginning next round. Many of us have lost confidence that GA is continuing to provide challenges to the players. We just want to feel more secure in participating with our money and our time.


We want a new program version, with substantial bug fixes (memory leaks or timeouts from generating lists, such as player lists, beacon lists, PM's and statuses; crashing or other glitches upon casting a beacon, destroying a beacon, or potting a beacon) ASAP.

We realise that GA has an investment in the programming that implements the PM, Status, Friends List, Beacon List, etcetera features. We understand that they may have their hands tied in wringing the most value from their investment, and that they may not be able to themselves debug this programming.
We would like to have a light at the end of the tunnel as to when we could expect that reported bugs will be fixed, that the infrastructure of the client be upgraded. (( Personally, I'd extract the entire PM and status system and put in a Twitter client. "Focus on your core competencies", as efficiency consultants say. ))
We wish to put GA in mind that there is a difference between maximising your return on investment, and wringing every last little drop out of the investment in the short term, at the cost of throttling it to death in the long term.
We just want to feel more secure in participating with our money and our time.

In Executive Bullet Point:

.We want GA to draw a line so we know what to not step over. We just want to feel more secure in participating with our money and our time.
.We want GA to provide content and/or variety.
.We want to see code bugs being fixed (as well as player bugs)
.We just want to feel more secure in participating with our money and our time.


This boycott is by no means mandatory. We're all participants in a voluntary society, a temporary autonomous zone, a collective of gamers. Asking us not to play is like asking hacker heroes not to swagger. And I respect your position: you'll do as you please.

We were all teamed together, but was that in the past?
Even one card wobbles and the house will collapse.
Now, grasp game theory, cleave unto it, hold:
the more who are having it, the better what's owned.
And the currency in this case is l33tness, completeness, your soul.
So let it be told
that three types of people going to hear this call
and PvE does nobody wrong
but the gamer collective is the source of this track;
if you didn't climb on there you're category 1: wack.
Category 2: awesome! Skipped the whole hassle, took a trip to Barbados. Bravo. But no muscle:
Other kids jumped to help, Compasses and Trees.
Final category -- number 3, that's you: the Prestige.

(apologies to Frontalot)

Places to coordinate:

http://www.facebook.com/ShadowCitiesBlackout

Edited by Bardfinn (May 24, 2012 21:13:13)

I'm beginning now by unbuying War Chant of Light.

I come in peace.

EDIT: Oh bloody 'ell it won't unbuy. One level is mandatory.

-.-'

Edited by Bardfinn (May 24, 2012 20:28:22)

Excellent summary/manifesto, Bard!

Here's the Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/ShadowCitiesBlackout

Edited by Ceifaero (May 24, 2012 21:22:39)

Thank you BardFinn for this manifesto. Brilliant, respectful, and with tact. I fully agree with all that is posted here. GA, I hope you view this as a positive step towards the greater good for previous, current and future players/customers. Thx

You were always my favorite, Bard Count me in@

Well put, Bard. I know what I'll be doing at this time tomorrow!

To GA, I suggest you listen to this.

I'm already out and will be out until I and my trusted terminated friends feel more secure in participating with money and time. Thank you Bardfinn for including all of us.

Nicely done, Bardfinn!
Count me in!