There's currently an auction on the block for 8 reservations (that's an odd block of regions to be selling), and the bidding seems to be pretty fierce. 23 bids, with the high bidder showing as Muli Basiat (why are we showing high bidders before the auction is done, anyway?). The starting price for this block waas $120, now it's $252. So I check out the map, it's 8 regions completely surrounding an already reserved region...owned by Muli Basiat.
Why is Linden Lab auctioning all the area around a resident's existing reservation, apparently forcing Muli to bid up the auction to keep others away from her? There must be a rational explanation, but it looks so wrong on the surface.
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Does anybody else find this odd? |
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 12:03
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Newfie Pendragon
Crusty and proud of it
Join date: 19 Dec 2003
Posts: 1,025
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07-06-2006 12:08
Why is Linden Lab auctioning all the area around a resident's existing reservation, apparently forcing Muli to bid up the auction to keep others away from her? There must be a rational explanation, but it looks so wrong on the surface. From what I understand, two islands can be located in adjacent blocks, yet not see each other. LL has to explicitly set adjoining islands to be joined. So in other words, the person is not forced to have to bid up in order to keep their privacy. They only need to bid if they want to reserve that spot for future island expansions. In which case I would think, they really should be bidding for the reservation rights. If they're bidding only to prevent from seeing the neighbours, then they're fine either way, win or lose. - Newfie _____________________
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Sensual Casanova
Spoiled Brat
Join date: 28 Feb 2004
Posts: 4,807
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07-06-2006 12:13
I don't like this whole reservation thing... but curious, are existing island owners notified when there is an auction near thier existing islands?
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 12:18
From what I understand, two islands can be located in adjacent blocks, yet not see each other. LL has to explicitly set adjoining islands to be joined. So in other words, the person is not forced to have to bid up in order to keep their privacy. They only need to bid if they want to reserve that spot for future island expansions. In which case I would think, they really should be bidding for the reservation rights. If they're bidding only to prevent from seeing the neighbours, then they're fine either way, win or lose. - Newfie Perhaps, but it's not as if we're crunched for island space yet. It looks like the auction was deliberately set to encompass that one region perfectly. Whether I could see my 'neighbors' or not I wouldn't want to be boxed in the middle of someone elses little circle, it's insanity. If it's deliberate, I'd call it unethical. _____________________
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Ananda Sandgrain
+0-
Join date: 16 May 2003
Posts: 1,951
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07-06-2006 12:44
Ugh, why does it seem like every idea I ever gave to LL shows up a long time later, in some horribly altered form?
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nimrod Yaffle
Cavemen are people too...
Join date: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 3,146
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07-06-2006 12:49
Ugh, why does it seem like every idea I ever gave to LL shows up a long time later, in some horribly altered form? So we can blame you for the stipend bonus going away?  _____________________
"People can cry much easier than they can change."
-James Baldwin |
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Desmond Shang
Guvnah of Caledon
Join date: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 5,250
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07-06-2006 12:51
This process is inherently unethical, and what happened to her is worthy of an abuse report.
If I recall correctly, such instances of abuse would supposedly be taken care of. _____________________
 Steampunk Victorian, Well-Mannered Caledon! |
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Kris Ritter
paradoxical embolism
Join date: 31 Oct 2003
Posts: 6,627
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07-06-2006 14:39
what the fuck?
why in gods name do they AUCTION rights to reserve space that is only adjacent to one island? that's just giving someone else the chance to landlock them or grief them by bidding up the auction. Which is exactly what this looks like. Someone is forcing the guy to pay way over the odds to NOT get landlocked in his own sim. Surely LL wouldn't REALLY allow that? if so they really have reached an all time fucking low. If you want to reserve land around your sim and its only around your sim, you should get it by default, not by auction. Actually, I'll go one step further - I'd say that since you bought a private island, LL shouldnt fucking well blackmail you into forking out for virtual thin air around your sim under threat of landlocking your future expansion. You bought an ISLAND, it should BE an island. If they put land next to it (whether you can see it or not) I would say they're breaking their contract. But frankly based on recent performance, nothing LL does surprises me any more. _____________________
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 14:41
what the fuck? why in gods name do they AUCTION rights to reserve space that is only adjacent to one island? that's just giving someone else the chance to landlock them or grief them by bidding up the auction. Which is exactly what this looks like. Someone is forcing the guy to pay way over the odds to NOT get landlocked in his own sim. Surely LL wouldn't REALLY allow that? if so they really have reached an all time fucking low. If you want to reserve land around your sim and its only around your sim, you should get it by default, not by auction. Actually, I'll go one step further - I'd say that since you bought a private island, LL shouldnt fucking well blackmail you into forking out for virtual thin air around your sim under threat of landlocking your future expansion. You bought an ISLAND, it should BE an island. If they put land next to it (whether you can see it or not) I would say they're breaking their contract. But frankly based on recent performance, nothing LL does surprises me any more. I don't want to jump to that conclusion yet, it would be pretty low.  I posted this in SL Answers to see what they say, I'm holding out that there's some kind of rational explanation. _____________________
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Kris Ritter
paradoxical embolism
Join date: 31 Oct 2003
Posts: 6,627
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07-06-2006 14:45
I don't want to jump to that conclusion yet, it would be pretty low. I posted this in SL Answers to see what they say, I'm holding out that there's some kind of rational explanation. I was wracking my brains to try and think of one before I jumped in with both feet, honest  But, well, I can't think of any rational reason for it. _____________________
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Willow Zander
Having Blahgasms
Join date: 22 May 2004
Posts: 9,935
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07-06-2006 14:48
Ok well..
Why auction off THOSE particulary spaces, SURROUNDING that certain space, there are THOUSANDS more squares out there. And Kris is right, there should be at LEAST first refusal to the person that already has the damn reservation. I honestly can't even come on here these days without shaking my head and wondering wtf is going on. _____________________
*I'm not ready for the world outside...I keep pretending, but I just can't hide...* <3 Giddeon's <3 |
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Jon Rolland
Registered User
Join date: 3 Oct 2005
Posts: 705
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07-06-2006 14:53
Reservation Auctions are a known scam by LL. Instead of making it easy to move an island automatically they instead put the programming time into developing a system to exploit their earlier bad programming for profit. It's something we've been round and round over with the devs. There is widespread digust with the system. Personally I will NEVER reserve a space.
Edit: I just checked this auction I pointed out this VERY flaw when they announced the system before it went live. I guess instead of fixing it they decided to exploit it. |
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Elikapeka Tiramisu
I love my baby boy!
Join date: 27 Jul 2005
Posts: 397
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07-06-2006 14:56
I don't like this whole reservation thing... but curious, are existing island owners notified when there is an auction near thier existing islands? Sens, From my understanding there is a certain portion of the map that is considered "off limits" for reservations. This is the main big land and the islands that have been around for a while....it's a pretty big chunk. For island owners in this area to have a new island put adjacent to an island currently in this block...the island order has to be done the old fashioned way...by using that request form and the reservation thinger. Who knows LL might open this area up to reservations later...but for now your island is safe from unwanted neighbors. _____________________
Blog: http://blog.elikatiramisu.com
Site: http://elikatiramisudesigns.com |
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Jennifer Christensen
Registered User
Join date: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 112
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07-06-2006 14:56
I don't like this whole reservation thing... but curious, are existing island owners notified when there is an auction near thier existing islands? Yes, they are. |
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 14:59
I'm talking to Muli about it right now, I'll post more in a minute.
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Wildefire Walcott
Heartbreaking
Join date: 8 Nov 2005
Posts: 2,156
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07-06-2006 14:59
There's currently an auction on the block for 8 reservations (that's an odd block of regions to be selling), and the bidding seems to be pretty fierce. 23 bids, with the high bidder showing as Muli Basiat (why are we showing high bidders before the auction is done, anyway?)... Would someone please explain why someone would be doing this? I understand the logic behind the bastards who buy parcels all around a plot they want, but islands aren't the same thing- you can't extortion grief an island the way you can a mainland parcel. So what do these bidders stand to gain? /me scratches her head and re-evaluates her plans for an island. _____________________
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 15:03
Chat log posted with permission:
[14:48] Karsten Rutledge: Hi! [14:49] Muli Basiat: Hi! [14:49] Karsten Rutledge: Do you read the forums much? [14:49] Muli Basiat: should I? [14:50] Karsten Rutledge: /108/7a/118863/1.html [14:50] Karsten Rutledge: Was wondering if you could comment on that thread [14:51] Muli Basiat: Cyn Linden adn I are arguing about hsi right now [14:51] Muli Basiat: It will be fixed [14:51] Muli Basiat: since I plan to buy 20 sims [14:53] Muli Basiat: Something got messed up! [14:54] Karsten Rutledge: Yeah, we're all wondering why LL would put up an auction blocking you in. [14:55] Muli Basiat: stupid [14:55] Karsten Rutledge: I mean, obviously those auctions came about after you reserved yours, so it's pretty unimaginable, and unethical. [14:55] Karsten Rutledge: Who is bidding against you for them, I wonder? [14:56] Karsten Rutledge: What does Cyn say the reason for the auction was? [14:56] Muli Basiat: No one seems to know! [14:56] Karsten Rutledge: That's pretty lame. [14:56] Muli Basiat: If they have to I will make them move my first island [14:57] Karsten Rutledge: You should NOT have to do that, especially if they're going to charge you the regular cost for moving islands. [14:57] Karsten Rutledge: That's extremely unethical on LL's part. [14:58] Muli Basiat: In truth - it could be my screw up [14:58] Karsten Rutledge: How so? [14:58] Muli Basiat: I am sometimes challenged [14:58] Muli Basiat: hehehe [14:58] Karsten Rutledge: How could you have caused them to auction that block? [14:58] Muli Basiat: I may have done something wrong when i reserved them [14:58] Muli Basiat: ???? [14:59] Karsten Rutledge: You reserved that block of 8? [14:59] Muli Basiat: 9 [14:59] Muli Basiat: !st island in center [15:00] Muli Basiat: checkboard [15:00] Karsten Rutledge: Oh. How long ago was that? Maybe your reservations expired (3 months isn't it?) and they auctioned them? [15:00] Muli Basiat: planned on navigable waters [15:00] Muli Basiat: I reserved them 3 weeks ago [15:00] Karsten Rutledge: Even if that's true, I don't see why they would put expired reservations on auction automatically. [15:00] Karsten Rutledge: That makes no sense then. [15:00] Muli Basiat: no [15:00] Muli Basiat: Martin Linden said Cyn would fix it [15:01] Karsten Rutledge: Okay. There doesn't seem to be an excuse for it to have happened in the first place, though. [15:01] Muli Basiat: no [15:01] Muli Basiat: but i forgive easily [15:01] Karsten Rutledge: Do you mind if I post this conversation on the forum so everyone knows what's going on? [15:02] Muli Basiat: I don't mind. I am sure LL will do right by me! [15:02] Karsten Rutledge: Okay. There are some who are less optimistic.  _____________________
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Karsten Rutledge
Linux User
Join date: 8 Feb 2005
Posts: 841
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07-06-2006 15:04
Would someone please explain why someone would be doing this? I understand the logic behind the bastards who buy parcels all around a plot they want, but islands aren't the same thing- you can't extortion grief an island the way you can a mainland parcel. So what do these bidders stand to gain? /me scratches her head and re-evaluates her plans for an island. Technically you could, if they held on to those reservations then the island owner in the middle can't ever expand and attach more islands to their existing one without paying Linden Lab to move their island somewhere else. _____________________
New products, updates, rants, randomness. Addictive high-quality games for sale: Greedy Greedy, On-A-Roll, Mancala and the newly released Khet laser strategy game. |
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Kris Ritter
paradoxical embolism
Join date: 31 Oct 2003
Posts: 6,627
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07-06-2006 15:12
Technically you could, if they held on to those reservations then the island owner in the middle can't ever expand and attach more islands to their existing one without paying Linden Lab to move their island somewhere else. Yes. That appears to be about the size of it. Buy a beautiful virtual island sim! thanks! now buy the gorgeous virtual views - nono, you dont own it - you just pay to reserve the virtual thin air around it - or we might just decide to build a continent around you... or sell it to someone else who will. Nice. _____________________
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Muli Basiat
Registered User
Join date: 4 May 2006
Posts: 4
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Island mishap
07-09-2006 08:14
Seems when you place a reservation at the land store sims go up for bid automatically. Cyn Linden assured me this will be corrected. LL has offered to move my island at NC and let me get two more sims of the 9 section grid I need now with navigable waters between them. I am thoroughly convinced that LL prefers land models that are not like those of the several land sellers in SL that ruin the place - sort of like in the RL actually.
My islands will have free parks and wonderful places and no more than 4 - 6 owners per sim. I have already presold the first 4. And I will never turn someones ocean view into a canal - which happens so often in places like Dreamland. My money model is quite differnt than many land sellers. I will take 15 months to show a positive cash flow per sim - and then only $100.00 a month in profit. With an investment of $1,600.00 US for island and landscaping parks and animated animals and birds - I am less interested than the money I make than I am in the place I create for the residents. And I am confident the Linden Labs folks will preserve and promote SL - maybe not to everyone's personal preferences - but in a fair and intelligent way. And we all should try and have fun - no other reason to be here! Kisses! |
