The problem isn't with the number of PWAs, but the complete lack of any centralized support interface. Unixmad's (or Stefan's?) paranoia about support centers is really unfounded and hurting game support tremendously. Yes, the support center constantly got hacked. But it wasn't exactly smart to always reinstall the same software. There are other (more secure) support centers out there (some free; some for a small price). SupportTrio isn't the only one in existence.

Bell quit because the support center went down..
You're right, for this game to actually succeed, we need the support center again. If unixmad/stefan are fed up with Fogles, Team Fish etc, hacking the site, than why can't he just file a lawsuit? :O

With how much that would cost, they could buy professional help desk software.

The playerbase is unreliable and untrustworthy. It's simply too big of a risk to just give that much power to soo many people if you don't know them.

That probably has something to do with the lack of competent managers and authority figures. They've left Graal to the players, and the players as a majority are inept.

And past PWAs/GMs that've abused their positions (see: Nemesis, etc..)
Let me put this into perspective, as I believe my standpoint could perhaps be a little misunderstood: It's not what I think, it's what Stefan thinks. Since it's up to him in the end what happens or not. And Unixmad has stated in the past his distrust in giving PWAs alot of power (that they need).

Deek I missed you D:!

Also, the only pwa left are sorta inactive ones...who are they...Tig? Tig supposedly can't log into half of graal because of internet problems and is busy with gk. :o TSA and Xor seem to be good though, at responding and solving problems.

I've noticed it's becoming more and more about players saving graal. Players trying to get players from iphone to join us on pc, players creating groups (as utterly useless as they may seem :P ) such as GDT.

I hate to sound like the tons of posts that have already said this but, you're paying quite a bit of money (in fact, forced to buy in bulk unless you can sms/phone) for a game that has almost no support, and servers filled with corruption.

/useless, uneeded small rant.


I don't think pwa's need a lot more power, just little more.

wat?

I can only speak for myself I guess, but if someone can't reach me, then I have to be honest in saying that they're obviously not doing a very good job of looking. I am on every single day, with the exception of some weekends. If you don't see me in-game, a simple e-mail is not out of anybody's way to write and I'll be on the minute I'm able to read it should the issue call for my immediate presence. Yes, being in the GMT+10 timezone means that my response may not be "On-Demand" within 30 minutes of it, but unless there's a very good reason, e-mail to me gets the necessary attention in less than 12 hours (Allowing for possibly sleeping at night, my time, or going out for general IRL reasons). E-mail - It's a PM that doesn't disappear! I respond to every single e-mail I get.

Seriously, as I said, if people can't find me then they're not even trying.

As for the original post about "More PWAs", I have my own opinions on what should happen but I'm not sure that more PWA's will be of use. Management of the current PWA's is rather lacking at the moment as it is as you all know. Perhaps that should be sorted out before putting the axe in the backs of us remaining.

I have never seen you in game before. When I couldn't access the forums, and with the lack of the support center, I had no way to contact any PWAs, with the exception of Bell, who I just so happened to know how to get in touch with.

Seriously, if you think people should automatically know how to reach you in game, you're an idiot. And it's not as easy to get in touch with you guys out of game as you seem to think.

tsa i'm looking 4 you!!! go on AIM

I'm sorry if you're not sure how to log in and access the "Login" server. That's where I am in-game on RC, and thankfully doesn't require a rocket scientist to work out. Not to mention that I am visible anywhere I am, of course that means adding me to the "Buddies" list since it doesn't show us where we are automatically. But the login server... A central location... Rocket Science? Nah. Again though, e-mail is something everybody can do without access to the forums, client, anything. Easy to remember too since it's TSAdmin AT graalonline.com

Don't go calling someone an idiot like that.

The PWA's don't really need more power. They have the rights needed to handle most situations immediately. What they do need though is a way to ensure they are speaking to whom they think they are speaking to. (IP confirmation of the sender will usually cover this.) Which is what the support center gave us. I for one don't really want to have to ask for proof of ownership documentation and confirm said documentation with Stefan, for every support request that comes through. I only have a few days a week now available to give Graal my full focus and I don't want to waste that time just trying to confirm the person I'm speaking to just stole some clients account and is now trying to get it unbanned or the password changed.

So as to not cause more confusion. I did resign, my rights have just not been removed yet. I would return to work but only if I can have some assurance that I will have the tools to do my job in the near future. I'm sorry if I left some giant hole in support or left them without a leader but both Tig and TSA have the exact same rights and abilities that I had so outside of the fact I was called the senior admin there is really nothing left uncovered. Basically TSA would be the Senior Admin if you're going by time as a PWA.

How many new people immediately know that if they need help they should to Login and find you? Specifically you, with your name set to "HEY, PM ME FOR HELP" under the admin tab? How many people, as soon as they require help, know your email? How many people know to add you as a buddy when they need to get in touch? None of this information is made public to help people, and you're only reachable by people who already know to look.

Graal's support service sucks, and if you really think all of those ways you mentioned of getting in touch with you are valid, then the PWAs suck too.

edit: to make a point, I just asked a friend of mine who recently started Graal and plays Era who he would contact for any form of help on a global scale. His first response was that he'd ask me to post it on the forums. I told him there were specific people he was supposed to come to for big situations, and he was surprised. He has never heard of the PWAs, nor does he knows how to contact any of you. "Globals" are regularly mentioned in a vague, cryptic manner, with no information on who they are, what their services are, or how they're getting talked to. To try and help him, without going to the forums, I went to the main website's support tab, which offers little to no help, literally saying "no services here, try the forums!". I mentioned your name, and he recognized it, but had no idea it was someone important.

He recommended a support window on the login server, like the news one.

I know what you are saying, but that has nothing to do with what you said earlier. I can only utilise what I have at my disposal, you can't ask me to do more other than give up my life completely and sit on Graal 24/7. I am well aware of the fact that new people don't know how to contact ME SPECIFICALLY, but I never said they did. My reply was regarding the original post about "More PWAs", meaning "More people" specifically. Please try to keep the flow going from the OP's topic rather than going on a tangent.

As for the mention of the login server including support, I'm pretty sure that's already been discussed on the forums in another thread and never took flight since if people cant even access their account, they'd never make it to the Login server in the first place to view such support.