(12/08/2005)Addressing MPK Issues

MPK (Monster Player Kill) is a form of player harassment that has plagued many MMORPGs. MPK involves using one's character to purposely cause damage to other players or to unfairly take another's claimed target in the midst of battle. Several measures will be introduced in the next version update to counter these issues.

The upcoming measures are intended to deal with issues regarding the acquisition of items and claiming of monsters, rather than focusing on direct involvement in player disputes.

In previous updates, we have dealt with problems between players by changing fiercely competed-for items to Ex/Rare, changing the locations of certain notorious monsters, and introducing measures against the use of third-party tools that violate the user agreement. Several types of battlefield and burning circle areas were also added to decrease disputes between players.

The following measures were introduced in the version update on August 1, 2005 to further alleviate the issue.

-The command /blockaid was added.*(1)
-"Trade" offers could no longer be received from characters on a player's blacklist.
-Players were made unable to use spells or abilities to claim a monster as soon as it appeared.*(2)

However, interaction and competition with other players are what makes an MMORPG enjoyable, and we have no desire to sacrifice those aspects of FINAL FANTASY XI. Players may be affected by situations caused by others, such as suddenly finding oneself in the midst of a train of monsters led by another player trying to escape. Player interaction can be either positive or negative and is an important part of the game. It is essential for players to realize the importance of this interaction and enjoy it, cooperating with one another to solve any minor disputes that may arise.

Unfortunately, there have been several players as of late who have used game features to harass others, particularly in the form of MPK, or taking advantage of a monster's enmity to make it attack others and disrupt the game.

It is the role of the GM team to resolve such issues, but in several cases it can be difficult to determine whether a player intentionally caused a problem after consulting only the chat and action logs. Often there is a discrepancy between both sides of the dispute's claims. In such cases, it would not be proper to choose a side based on personal opinion or to listen to only one side's claims. Therefore, the issues best resolved have been those actually witnessed by the GM. Such difficulties have caused player disputes that require third-party intervention to increase, and we realize that in-game measures must be introduced to alleviate the situation.

In the next version update, we plan to introduce the following measures.

-If a player is KO'd or moves to a new area while fighting a monster at a location in which the monster does not usually inhabit, the monster will not begin attacking others in the surrounding area. Instead, it will simply disappear.

This measure refers to the radius that the monster walks about when not engaged in battle. After being drawn out of that radius during battle and released, the monster will disappear, and then reappear after a short time in its proper location. In addition, the monster that reappears will be the exact same monster that disappeared, and not another monster of the same type. This rule will not apply to notorious monsters.

-Monsters that have been rendered immobile with the "Bind" spell will not attack anyone other than the party or alliance that it is targeting.

The GM team will continue to penalize players who purposely harass others. The GMs will not deal with player disputes after hearing only one position, but will strive to find a solution after consulting all sides. We ask for your cooperation and understanding, and hope that you enjoy interacting with other players in the world of FINAL FANTASY XI.

*(1) The /blockaid command
The command "/blockaid" was added.
"/blockaid" has the following effect:
Magical assistance (such as "Cure" and "Protect"), trades, party invites etc. from non-party/alliance characters will be blocked.
The "/blockaid" effect will be canceled if the player temporarily logs out to the PlayOnline Viewer, logs out, changes areas, or is KO'd.

Command/Subcommands:
/blockaid on
Activate the blockaid effect.
/blockaid off
Cancel the blockaid effect.
/blockaid
Display current blockaid status.

*(2) Claiming monsters
Players are no longer able to use spells or abilities to claim a monster as soon as it appears.
If players attempt to use spells or abilities to claim a monster before a set amount of time has passed since it appeared, they will be unable to use those spells or abilities again for a certain duration.

http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/information/1208.html