FC removes ARKS from Anarchy Online - hot chats running

[Chrisax]

It came out a the blue some hours ago.

"Future of the ARK program"
https://forums.funcom.com/t/future-of-t ... ram/230929

Umborls
Customer Support


After careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue Funcom support of the ARK community program.

The ARK program has been an unforgettable part of Rubi-Ka for many years, and we are grateful to the volunteers who have channeled their passion to help make this universe truly something wonderful. We appreciate the commitment and the efforts, and we are proud of everything ARK has accomplished together.

We understand that seeing this chapter end may disappoint some of you, but the profound mark made on the community is everlasting.

Thank you,
The Funcom Team

I'm not sure that this kind of announcement should be called "Future of the ARK program"

Anyhow hot discussions involving a few people from FC happened on AO Discord. First on the General channel, then on a new channel "ark-retirement

Chris T, Customer Service Manager was there, with GM Umboris and GM Rooibos.

Unhappiness is great among the AO Community, and the reasons for this move are unclear.

This was just a quick note. The story is ongoing.

AP stands strong!

[Ustarlen]

Damn shame. let's see how we go.

[Chrisax]

I don't buy the pretext that the ARK program could have been to expensive to support.

ARKS are not hard to support: they got items to buff them, access to some special nanos and commands, etc. It has been like that for a long time and it doesn't cost anything new to FC now.

Also, ARKS are managed internally by volunteers.

Only very specific events required either a GM or some work from the devs. But, for example, celebrating a wedding with all the lights effects in the ruins of the cathedral on one of the ARK islands is just in the ARKs' toolset, like warping people, etc.

[Chrisax]

There might be a question of abuse of power either with good or bad motives, like crazy AI events where recently the ARKS involved were enthusiastically spawning almost anything, or maybe possible leaks of information, indirect help -not necessarily on purpose- to some exploiters (like the idiot crashing servers a while ago), etc.

But shutting down the whole ARK program because you don't want to handle issues is like throwing the baby out with the water of the bath.

And ARKS always, since they exist, had some "borderline" stuff with some of them, but it didn't counterbalance at all the good of the system.

Not to mention the GM who cybored with (real) female player (Las****) and spawned tons of rare items in her inventory. He was fired BTW but just him not all GMs.

[Cratattak]

It seems like its legal issues across FC. They shut down volunteer programs in multiple games at the same time.

In discord, GM said "they are not allowed to work with (now ex) ARKs in future events they may try(ARKs without powers). So it seems like FC are literally not allowed to work with players.

Its a very terrible decision, and at very bad timing with anniversary soon.

[Chrisax]

A total hypothesis only based on what you just said above: some administration, somewhere, considered that ARKS and players with similar roles in others FC's games are actually employees of FC, and that, therefore, should be declared to the social services, be paid, generate various social fees (healthcare, retirement, unemployment,...). In other words, that the current situation (which is NOT the fact of FC alone and has been used by other gaming companies) would be hidden work. Which it is not but the risk is gigantic financially and legally because explaining how MMOs function would likely not work with Labour Departments.

It's as simple as some angry guy suddenly contacting some official service and claiming he has been working without being properly declared as a worker.

[besaidaurocks]

I can see the legal side of unpaid work that like parituclar such important role though vital has never made much sense. it should alway been a paid role. so I get need avoid nasty law suites but obvious anwser should be make then paid role and invest in them. It is too short sight to sack basicaly kill any real time support. Particular when we know that FC has 1 mmo team that services all 3 mmo's so already not enough time to go around. sigh even AO still survies this is going leave bitter taste in many mouths