Topic

In support of keeping Home Streets public

Recently there has been a very vocal few in the forums up in arms about how they would like their Home Streets all to themselves. Since happy people tend to be much less loud than unhappy people I wanted to start a thread to show TS that most of us are very happy with sharing our Home Streets as a public resource.

In the old system we had to pay for a house with currants. Then those houses came with a very limited number of preset resources. The most you could hope for was 5 trees, 24 of one kind of crop plot... maybe a jellisac or firefly swarm. It was extremely limited.

Now the possibilities are practically endless. Our backyards are a completely private haven for almost any resource we can dream of. Then as a bonus we can choose a whole additional set of resources to sit right outside our front door! We just have to share them.

Now I believe the fact that there are huge resources networks attests to the fact that a majority of players like and want to keep sharing their Home Streets. Glitch is all about cooperation and sharing and I think most glitchen get that.

I know that in the past very vocal unhappy people have caused game changes. There have already been a few tweaks to Home Streets (although I believe these are positive tweaks). I am a bit afraid that the few angry glitchen screaming at us kids to stay off their lawn might actually cause more changes that would hurt the beautiful resource routes.

If you agree that Home Streets should stay public I'm starting this thread as a place for you to speak up so the wonderful staff at TS sees that most of us like sharing the things that were only kind of ours to begin with.

(p.s. this thread is not referring to people who have misunderstood and lost things. I do think there should be clearer warnings about what is safe on your Home Street and what is not)

Posted 7 months ago by SkyWaitress Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I notice that there is an option to physically boot people off your home street.  I think that's good enough for the hermits.
    Posted 7 months ago by Kitty Howard Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When it comes down to it, the most precious resource that we all share is probably the Devs' time and energy. It exists at a set rate, and no amount of effort (or hollering at new players to mine it down to stubs) will increase the respawn!

    So add my name to the list of people who, while not directly opposed to having configurable street privacy settings added, would also not consider myself "waiting on" or "looking forward to" it in the way I'm "waiting on" and "looking forward to" things like more furniture designs, more fun issues to vote on, and the return of street projects. And if configuring street privacy settings is a complex project that takes a lot of Dev time, well, I guess we'd never know how much time was spent on that as opposed to other things--but I, personally, would probably prefer the other things.

    I think that's what it comes down to, a lot of the time. If you consider the time and energy put into workarounds like locking down herb garden plots and feeders, some people think it was time well spent, and some people never had a problem with it in the first place. It's different for everyone. 

    But there's nothing wrong with saying "we like it the way it is" just as an FYI to Devs, who might be looking at all the hubbub in the forums, and might be wondering if all the hollering they hear anti- something is match by an avalanche of largely unspoken pro-. 
    Posted 7 months ago by Pomegrandy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I adore that streets are public and love going about leaving little presents for glitchen I visit, or harvesting a garden of purple and planting a more exceptional herb in it's place.

    I love  the community that having the routes has created, and I find myself exploring the world now that I don't have to go looking for specific things. I can explore Ur knowing that I don't have to go looking for things I need. I can just go.
    Posted 7 months ago by Amari Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Another one in favor of public streets, here. I'm on the bean route, and I _love_ dropping off presents for people who are kind enough to curate resource routes.

    Yes, the backyards aren't as big as the front yards. I still have three 15-plot gardens, butterflies and pigs back there. If I didn't want one of the gardens, I'd have room for trees. There is plenty of space back there for anything I wanted to do, and I don't think I'm even fully expanded.

    I really don't understand the whole "AAAAAH there are strangers in my front yard" thing. If a stranger harvests your tree, you can still harvest it. If they mine your rock, it will regen. Yeah, at some point you'll have to renew, but they can't get in your house, they can't get at your stuff, and if you are worried about garden plots, put them in the back.

    I guess I figure the whole point of an MMO is to be able to socialize while playing. I wish I ran into MORE Glitches in my day-to-day playing. I want to meet people, I want to admire their clothes, I want to have a quick way to trade resources - last night I asked in Civility if anyone wanted drinks, and someone brought me some planks to trade - being able to just come to my homestreet made that super easy, rather than us walking to some meeting place in Ur.

    If TinySpeck wants to code it so that people can lock their homestreets, then I think those people shouldn't be able to visit anyone else's, either, unless they're a keyholder.
    Posted 7 months ago by Aliera Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't feel strongly about very much in this game but the public aspect of the home streets is one firm exception to that.  Like many others who've commented above I'm not one for the "I lobe you!" "Hi, can I be your friend?" sort of overt nicey-nicey stuff and haven't "shared keys" with any players so the public streets are a great way to interact, especially now that people are sending their avatars out into the wild much less.  And I'm at the point I have a bazillion of everything resource-wise, and I wasn't even an old level 60, so I'm very happy to share resources, leave food/cubimals/cocktails out for people who may need them, and repair other people's cultivated items.  Which I think will be important when we have a whole bunch of new players. 

    If they do change it, which I honestly don't see happening, I'd much rather you have to opt OUT of public streets than opt IN.
    Posted 7 months ago by Golden Retriever Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am all for it!

    I'm still figuring out my front yard but I'm looking forward to being on the resource route once I do.

    On a sidenote, tho I welcome all glitches to my street I feel a bit shy using others but plan on getting outside my comfort zone to visit other glitches and well, that's a good thing :-)
    Posted 7 months ago by Veghrt Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I find public streets one of the best aspects of this game.  I love being able to provide hospitality to strangers and being able to participate in the resource routes, whether or not the players on those routes have listed me as a friend.  

    I'd rather see backyards become more expandable than to have public streets become lockable.  With the locking down of icons,  herdkeeping equipment, and machines, we've reached a nice balance between sharing opportunities  and losing investments. 

    If you really don't want anyone on your street, you can block each person as they come along, and keep out the truly curious.  The rest of us aren't likely to show up anyway.
    Posted 7 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *votes in favor of keeping home streets public*

    And anyone who has a problem restoring crops, patches, fireflies, barnacles, etc., on their public home street, try making an announcement in Global Chat that you have a project on your home street. People are very generous about helping restore home street resources.
    Posted 7 months ago by Filox Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think public home streets are absolutely awesome and the resource routes have helped me a great deal! 

    Carry on being awesome, please TS! :D
    Posted 7 months ago by KieraSkittles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • A easy solution to the "problem" and that would make people feel compelled to "have a public street" and resources would be to give the owner of the Home Street a iMG reward for each use of the resources in there. Enough so they could replant their resources when they expire, based on how much they were used by visitors.
    Posted 7 months ago by Aumir Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think the obvious solution is to allow players to turn off their public streets. Including to themselves. 
    Posted 7 months ago by HeyGabe Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I would like to suggest that those wanting a completely private front yard should, perhaps, not be playing a multiplayer online game…  go find some single player doll-house game for your “I need to exclude everyone from what I’m doing here” needs...       

    We have huge amounts of private space in our houses and back yards, far more than in the old houses, anything that can be placed in front yards can also be placed in backyards, and we are not at all compelled to invest in placing resources on our streets.  Converting home streets into yet more private space should not even be an option.  I, for one, think TS has already gone too far in appeasing to complainers, having different sets of game mechanics/rules for different types of streets just reinforces the entitlement mindset.   

    And there are benefits to having truly public home streets… 
    Our streets are part of a dynamic world instead of just being static artifacts tacked onto the edges. 
    We can leave things for others, and others can leave things for us. 
    Resource routes actually work, rather than possibly finding oneself on a dead-end because someone on the route with opposing views as blocked you from their street. 
    Greater opportunity to support the community as a whole by fertilizing, petting, watering, planting…  in public spaces. 
    Prevents elitist groups from forming and blocking non members from access to entire sets of connected housing streets.
    Posted 7 months ago by Syruss Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I just recently joined a Resource Route and I love it :) I like having people on my street, even if I might not say Hi. I'm pretty shy but that doesn't mean that I don't like having people around. :)

    Kelti- I'm confused. Your previous posts on the matter convinced me to NEVER visit your street because I don't want to deal with a hostile confrontation. You also said that you were going to let the resources you placed on your front yard to deplete so there would be nothing for anyone to take. So your resources are depleted, no one restored them, you should be happy? If not, I know I would be more than happy to help restore your garden if you wanted. :) I wouldn't want to restore something you're trying to get rid of.
    Posted 7 months ago by Jezebel Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I always thought the reason for home streets existing in addition to your garden was for the public aspect. If there was an intention to make them private then it would likely be much easier to allow larger gardens. They were a little too public to begin with which lead thefts and discouraged people from using them, but the changes to that seem to be benefiting everyone.

    Your street isn't there just to mathematically increase your resource gathering capabilities, it's  for sharing a little of your imagination with the world.
    Posted 7 months ago by Anaglyph Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Honestly, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game for me is projects. I miss that terribly and the the restoration aspect of resources fills my project itch. In fact, I've just spent the whole hour visiting and for some reason, I lucked out and have been able to restore resources. There's just something satisfying about that sound that it makes when you complete a restoration project. The way I look at it, it lets me give back to the players who willingly provide these resources (yes, yes, they're public, but that's not the point). All in all, it builds community. 
    Posted 7 months ago by Anty-pants Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I do have to make the point though, that since the overwhelming majority of players seem to enjoy having public streets, why would it be any harm to allow those few who want to lock their street away, for any reason or no reason at all?

    Those of us with public streets would never even know the private streets were locked down and hidden away. And those with private streets wouldn't be able to connect to the public ones or have to worry about other people connecting to theirs.

    It's probably a pretty simple modification to code to just simply disable a signpost on a home street. Keeping people from entering your home street would be more work, but shouldn't be a ton of work... an extra database column that the signpost code checks against before allowing you to edit it, perhaps?

    I mean, this is like a textbook example of where probably everyone can have their way without too much difficulty and no real issues as a result.
    Posted 7 months ago by Moehr Ossum Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's never that simple, Moehr! 
    Posted 7 months ago by Pascale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +31415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923 0781640628620899862803482534211706798214808651328230664709384460 9550582231725359408128481117450284102701938521105559644622948954 9303819644288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091456485 6692346034861045432664821339360726024914127372458700660631558817 4881520920962829254091715364367892590360011330530548820466521384 1469519415116094330572703657595919530921861173819326117931051185 4807446237996274956735188575272489122793818301194912983367336244 0656643086021394946395224737190702179860943702770539217176293176 7523846748184676694051320005681271452635608277857713427577896091 7363717872146844090122495343014654958537105079227968925892354201 9956112129021960864034418159813629774771309960518707211349999998 3729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533 4468503526193118817101000313783875288658753320838142061717766914 7303598253490428755468731159562863882353787593751957781857780532 171226806613001927876611195909216420198

    -Pi
    Posted 7 months ago by Taco Assassin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1

    Home streets are the only public spaces (currently) that you can shape to your imagination and share with the world without giving out a key.
    Posted 7 months ago by Saturnese Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1

    I don't think they would ever change this anyway, but I will join the masses in saying that public home streets are great and should stay that way.
    Posted 7 months ago by Mrs. Peacock Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It seems to me that the whole purpose, really, of home streets is not to allow us to have our own private street with our own resources but a way for the Devs to expand upon the world of Ur without having to spend so much time developing a new region. There is a set criteria for the new streets that we spend our imagination on. 

    The streets in a sense do not belong to us, like the public sidewalk outside my RL house, its just a resource that I am responsible for. It would honestly be like closing off the sidewalk outside your house so that no one can walk on it. 

    Its not YOUR street. YOU are just the care taker and the developer.
    Posted 7 months ago by Papa Legba Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "very vocal unhappy people" <<== lobe lobe lobe this!
    Posted 7 months ago by Otto Otto Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Actually our streets are pixels that we rent from TS.
    Everything else is an image or sense of ownership that we imbue it with.
    There are ways some would like to play with these pixels. There are other ways others would like to play with them.
    Everything beyond that is just imagination.
    Posted 7 months ago by CrashTestPilot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We already have the option to be private- just don't be friends with anyone and don't let anyone put your name on their sign.  Then noone will be able to get to you.  Than you can be happy playing in your lonely home street by yourself.  If you really want to than Glitch already gives you options.  If you wanted to, you could completely not interact with anyone and just play the game, do the quests, mine, cook all on your ownesome.  Apart from not getting a few badges you would have a great game experience that embraced your solitudinal lifestyle (i think i made that word up!)  I don't think Glitch needs to change, or provide options to please everyone, it's a game- so you work out how to play it within the context, rules and environment of that game, just as you would any other.  I think it's great that TS have developed this game that is so open ended and that provides a multi faceted gaming experience for all kinds of people to access and enjoy.  I think community is a big part of that experience that shouldn't change.
    Posted 7 months ago by Lucky Pierre Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We already have the option to be private- just don't be friends with anyone and don't let anyone put your name on their sign.  Then noone will be able to get to you
    You can get to anyone's street by visiting their profile and accessing their street page. You can also do it by clicking on them, the info link and then "visit their street"
    Posted 7 months ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's really interesting to see how the anger, ignorance, name-calling, and presumption come bubbling up to the surface when someone presents an idea that some people don't agree with. "Go play your lonely game", "It's all about greed", "This idea takes away from changes I want made", " go find some single player doll-house game for your “I need to exclude everyone from what I’m doing here” needs...      ", " Prevents elitist groups from forming and blocking non members". 

    That's so not what home street privacy is about. If someone doesn't want strangers using their resources, leaving things, taking things, then that should be their CHOICE. It has nothing to do with greed, hating people, excluding anyone. There's plenty of interaction out in the game world. You people seem to be losing sight of the fact that the GAME WORLD still exists, and you're somehow twisting this idea of being able to have a private home street into "OH MY GOD SOMEONE WANTS TO DESTROY GLITCH".

    I think the rather ignorant sentiment of one glitch who left a note for me the other day needs to be spoken here "Chill the fuck out" (he was one of the charming players who decided to visit my street just to be a jerk, because I dared to speak up). Most of you are going completely mental over something that's fairly reasonable to ask.

    Oh and as for my opinion of the Glitch community being the worst I've ever encountered? Comments like these just confirm it. Other than a handful of people who showed a reasonable attitude, the negativity, rudeness, and a downright attack mentality displayed is just sad.
    Posted 7 months ago by Kelti Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love the public streets.
    Posted 7 months ago by Addi Bee~♥ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Perhaps rather than 'hatred' people see this more in terms of justice and fairness. 

    By having one's own street 'private' one limits the public use of its resources, whilst being allowed to harvest from others.  Many people have suggested some kind of reciprocal 'privacy' which would allow one to exclude others, but also keep such a 'private' individual from using other people's resources.  This seems fair.

    Simply disagreeing is not attacking IMV.
    Posted 7 months ago by Jolycan Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Again, I love the presumption and misinterpretation. If a person's home street is private to them only, or just their friends, then what?

    Are you all imaging some Dr Evil-type person, cackling madly as they... plant herbs? Mine ore? Then what?

    This reminds me of the South Park episode with the underpants gnomes. You all seem to be missing an essential step in your raving conspiracy theory of "OH MY GOD NO YOU CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY RESOURCES TO YOURSELF".

    What happens if a person has half a dozen herb plots, or a dozen sparkly rocks on their private home street? Will they somehow destroy the entire game? Please, do enlighten the class as to how you envision a person having their home street's resources to themselves will be a bad thing. Will it allow someone to destroy the Glitch economy or buy everything in the game? Force cats and dogs to live together, thereby causing mass hysteria?
    Posted 7 months ago by Kelti Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ^ This.

    Stop making everything a false dichotomy. Just because some players want the option to make their street private does NOT mean that public streets would go away, or that your way of playing is inherently threatened. It's not an either or.

    Players are advocating for privacy options. That's it. This is nothing new, nor is the outrage around it. I'm baffled at the consistent level of bossiness that asserts itself on the forum as certain players insist on dictating how everyone else plays the game.

    I do find it really interesting that the knee jerk reaction is that this is some sort of evil scheme to greedily hoard resources. I certainly can't speak for everyone who wants privacy options, but in my case, that's the least of my concern. 

    To everyone's point - if greed were the major motivation for wanting privacy, it wouldn't make sense. Everyone has done a great job of explaining why the reasoning for wanting privacy out of greed is stupid. Which I would hope would help you guys realize that maybe that's not the reason why people want privacy. 

    You're beating up a straw man. 

    Absolutely no other view points are represented, and when dissenting posters try to make a point, they are bullied into "going back to their threads," because this thread is only for people who agree with the OP. 

    Sorry guys, but that's some high school bitchy bullshit. There will always be some people who have nefarious intentions. Some people WILL be greedy. Some people will dictate how others MUST play the game out of fear and malice because they don't want anyone to have the option to get more "stuff" than they do. 

    Knock it off. You've been heard. Thanks for playing.
    Posted 7 months ago by Xev Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Kelti I hear your frustration and disappointment. Being called names and having evil motive ascribed to oneself isn't any fun. In fact it's lonely and sad.

    The irony of a bunch of folks extolling the virtues of a cooperative and helpful community while publicly shaming and name-calling a member of that community is not lost on me.

    But nothing says you have to descend to that level yourself, you know.

    I think, removing all the invective and ad hominem attacks, this boils down to a debate about what kind of community we want to collectively build here. We are debating the nature of the environment we want for our neighborhood. Your position about the nature of the front yard is one point of view. I think it is based on your interpretation of the word "own". TS says we own our street. Based on the way our street is set up currently, I think "manage" or caretake would be better choices.

    Ownership denotes control. I think you are advocating for more control. And you want to determine who gets access and who doesn't. Okay. And as you point out simply denying you access to others' streets if you want to deny their access to yours turns it into a war of attrition. Tit for tat is a zero sum game. And no fun. And we are here to have fun I think.

    So I propose we all start talking the talk and walking the walk. If we care passionately for a certain position can we do our best to make a cogent and persuasive argument for it rather than trading insults?
    Posted 7 months ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You're foaming at the mouth because people are using resources you placed on your street, which was public during the entirety of testing and has been reiterated that it wouldn't be changing. Don't want them being used? That's what your backyard is for. (Or you could just indiscriminately block everyone you don't want on your street, which you seem to have down pat)

    I stand by my note. Chill the fuck out.
    Posted 7 months ago by MarbhDamhsa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Actually we have both cats and dogs in our house and there are no problems between them at all   ;-)
    I just see it as a question of fairness.  If someone don't want to share that is fine.  Keep other people away from their resources.  Whatever the size ofl those resources it makes no difference to the game overall.  However, it seems unfair that such a person then goes around taking advantage of other's hard work and imagination.

    I can see no reason to prevent someone from being Private, as long as that limits them to Privacy and only to those with whom they are willing to share.

    Even if their stated reason is not to reserve their resources, that is the effect of their actions, so it is only just and reasonable that it should have some drawback I think.
    Posted 7 months ago by Cassandria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Xev - Yours was a well thought out, well articulated post. I agree.
    Posted 7 months ago by Audaria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Cassandria - Food for thought: I don't have resources on my street, but I'm free to "take advantage of other's hard work and imagination." What's the difference? As it happens, I rarely go to other player's streets because I prefer to gather my resources in the world. I do like to go check things out once in awhile, leave gifts, visit friends. What you are suggesting (or perhaps simply supporting) seems punitive to me. And Glitch is supposed to be a game wherein ALL is good and there "are no mistakes."
    Posted 7 months ago by Audaria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Privacy is not and should not be seen as adversarial. Whether it's restricting who can view a profile or who can IM you (buddy list groups, for instance), or toggling street privacy, why does the need and desire for privacy on an online community require some sort of consequence or punishment?

    There's also this idea of permanence. Why is the idea of privacy so threatening? And why do you guys assume it would be set? E.g. a player makes their street private. Forever. 

    Privacy OPTIONS allow for additional creativity and game play, as well as creating a safe space for players who want more options on how they interact with the game and other players. 

    It's anonymous. I get that. It's a game, it's not real life. I get that too. And considering it's not real life, why are ya'll getting so bent out of shape over letting people have a little bit more control over their game experience?

    I think it's because it's all about control. It's kind of shitty being a beta tester. Don't get me wrong, it's way fun. It's also a status thing. We're beta testers. The only people cooler than us are the alpha testers. We're the elite. We were there when it happened, and before it happened. But it also sucks. We are consistently having the rug pulled out from under us, and there's nothing we can do about it.

    That's what we signed up for. We can't control the game world any more than we can control the real world, and that's fundamentally and psychologically disappointing on a very human level.

    We take it to a dark place in some instances and decide to bully other people who come up with ideas that we don't like. Can't control the game? Let's bully other players and control them

    No, you guys are right, it's totally a black and white issue. It's not about options or game play, it's about RESOURCES. 

    Because that's what you are concerned with, everyone else MUST be obsessed with resources too. Right? Because you play the game one way, everyone else plays the game the same way, with the same goals, and same strategies? Right?

    Because that sounds like Glitch... with it's different skill paths and ways to advance. 
    Posted 7 months ago by Xev Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Unfortunately, this is all moot.  Stoot has said repeatedly that there are no plans to add further access controls to home streets.  If you don't want others to use your resources, don't cultivate your street. 

    That said, the arguments here are a bit strange in a number of ways:

    - While it's lovely to share if you choose to, the compulsion to get everyone to provide resources for others is odd, since each player can add the same items to his or her own street, and since all resources are available in the rest of the world, too. 

    - The "if you don't share, you're immature/mean/lazy/etc." attitude is bizarre.  If you're going to be righteous about all of this, wouldn't you also think that it's not right to deplete other people's resources, unless they've specifically designated their streets as parts of resource routes? 

    - The players who are most adamant about not wanting access controls are often the people who show the least consideration for others in these threads, calling them names and cursing at them... so are they also the ones who were taking equipment from other people's streets?

    - When you say you're expressing yourself through beryl, you're really just choosing a pre-drawn street and sticking some pre-drawn features on it.  This game has a strange way of making people feel productive and creative without actually producing or creating much of anything.  Magic!

    - There have been some amusing posts lately along the lines of, "don't ask for access controls, because they're so complicated!"  Almost everything in the game has access controls, including our houses, so I'm pretty sure that TS figured out how to code them a long time ago. 

    - While this fierce debate on the best uses of TS's time has raged on, TS has added a "high five" capacity to emo bears.
    Posted 7 months ago by glum pudding Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yay Xev! I would add that we all DO have absolute control over one thing: our reaction to those things we have no control over.

    So maybe we could all take a deep breath and stop bullying those we think we disagree with?
    Posted 7 months ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Quoting   MarbhDamhsa   
    I stand by my note. Chill the fuck out.


    Do not ever think of leaving such a note on my street .... I will report you and would expect my complaint to be taken very seriously.  This was highly offensive of you.

    I really think this thread should have been closed long back.
    Posted 7 months ago by Sasca Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Awesome points, glum pudding. I'm agreed with axa. Let's all take a step back and relax. Odds are good nothing will change. At least until they do :)
    Posted 7 months ago by Xev Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yes, Audaria.   Hadn't thought of that.  That would be the same you are right!  In that case I can't see much difference at all.

    If having people on your street freaks you out then you should be allowed to have some peace.   I guess fairness is how it affects different people.  Just because it doesn't bother some is no reason to discriminate against those who feel badly about it.

    For these reasons I would have to change my mind and say that Privacy should be an option, but only if asked for, not the default.  Personally I like visitors, but that is my priviledge.  I see no reason to abuse those who don't like it even if I don't see why they feel like that.  It is enough that they do feel that way.  We should look after each other in Glitch.  :-)
    Posted 7 months ago by Cassandria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow, that's an awesome post Cassandria, and very well thought out. 

    At the risk for speaking on behalf of others, I'm going to go out on a limb and say I don't think anyone is advocating for default privacy. Public is and should be the default setting. Privacy would simply be another option.

    If we collectively take nothing else away from this thread, I think it should be this: 

    "I see no reason to abuse those who don't like it even if I don't see why they feel like that.  It is enough that they do feel that way.  We should look after each other in Glitch.  :-)"
    Posted 7 months ago by Xev Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +Cassandria and Xev. Pretty much what draws me back to this community time and again. I really love my public home street. But I certainly don't want people to be frightened or uncomfortable. Not sure what the solution is ( I am quite sure it is NOT leaving threatening notes on someone's home street though). But as i noted previously fundamentally this is a discussion about the nature of our community. It is good to see what happens when folks bring an open mind and flexibility to the discussion. Thanks!
    Posted 7 months ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • To my fellow public street lovers: Please consider that having players opt out of public streets would have absolutely no effect on your game play. Insisting that other people's streets be available to you seems just as controlling and possessive as insisting that your street only be available to yourself. We, as players, don't need to dictate how other people play, do we? 

    And still: I love public streets! I meet fun people & get to check out other players' aesthetics. Cool! All are welcome to mine and it will be there for you for the foreseeable future. I seriously doubt that you would even notice any home streets that weren't part of the fun.
    Posted 7 months ago by Aleph Zero Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree.

    The practical issue, however, is that the devs have said that making the streets switchable between public and private is prohibitively difficult from a coding point of view, and that they are unlikely to do this.  And, until they do, it is hard to tell if someone's street should be considered public or private.

    I have one suggestion, though, for those who'd like to keep their streets private.  Until some future fix is implemented, in your bio, on your profile, make a request.  It won't keep the true jerks out, but it'll help head off otherwise well meaning people from going to your street through the web pages.

    It's not perfect, but it is another tool.

    And, if you keep your street empty of resources, it will be less enticing!
    Posted 7 months ago by Carl Projectorinski Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Kelti
    I think I see this a bit differently than you… we’ve had numerous threads decrying the public accessibility of home streets, the point here is to encourage those who support keeping our home streets public to speak out and to allow their voices to be heard… so we’re speaking out and giving reasons for our opinion.  If you don’t like those reasons, or for some reason are offended by them, you might want to go back and look at those pro lock-down threads in which anyone opposed to a complete lockdown has been labeled a thief or worse… instead of getting bent out of shape if the pro public posts are just as vehement as the pro privacy posts have been.   

    But seriously, if you want a completely private environment, play a completely private game… Glitch is, has been, and hopefully will continue to be, a community game.  And we already have all the privacy controls that are being asked for… in our houses and back yards.  Let us support keeping home streets open so that we can all wander the streets and delight in seeing what others have created, and so that we can share our own vision (and resources if we wish) with the community.
    Posted 7 months ago by Syruss Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree with Cassandria (and others). At first I felt that it was somehow unGlitchy (whatever THAT means) to make one's home street private, but I think it's because I didn't quite understand someone's motivation for doing so... and still kinda don't! Really, though, that's entirely beside the point, and if someone feels it necessary to keep strangers out--and if it's possible to code--I can't argue against it. It's the owner's prerogative. Yes, there's some question about "ownership" in relation to home streets, but when someone's name is attached to it, and he or she spends time and resources to create what they want, it's absolutely reasonable for them to feel protective of it, regardless of how you (or I) personally feel.

    I'm a big fan of public home streets, and enjoy wandering thru both friend's and strangers home streets without feeling like a trespasser. If the "private" option was available, I could rest easier knowing that, whether I was known to the player or not, I was welcome.

    I think there may be a fear of losing some sense of community or togetherness by allowing people to opt out of having an "open to all" street, as though everyone will immediately lock themselves up, and sit on their porch with a shotgun while yelling at passersby. The likely truth is that, as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, more people will keep their streets open to the public than would close them off.

    Sure, this thread is a response to other threads, and lending your voice to a perceived one-sided discussion is always a good thing. However, I think there are a small number of players on both sides of the debate that have let their worst fears get the better of them, which has dragged the discussion far lower than it ever needed to be. 

    Lastly, stoot (I think, don't know what threads to look in) has mentioned on one or more occasions that how we perceive our home streets is likely to change as new content is released. As vague as ever ;), but I'm anxious to see what this means and how it relates to this conversation.

    In short, if there was an option to make your street private, I hope you don't choose it, I respect your decision to do so, and I'd rather KNOW than be constantly worried that I'm invading someone's space! (and hoooooly moly is it ever hard to stop typing your opinion once you start! ;))
    Posted 7 months ago by Bradamus Prime Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I agree with the person who said that if players can keep others from their home street, then the home streets are no longer public. They become privately owned streets that can either be open to other players or closed to other players.

    So the issue seems to be whether there should be an option for people to make their street closed to other players rather than open.

    The argument in favor of that seems to be that some people want it that way, but I'm not sure *why* they want it that way.

    Is it to have control over more resources than will fit in a back yard? But If people can put resources on their home street and then make that street closed, they will have control of more resources than people who keep their street open. That doesn't seem like a good idea.

    Is it because they don't want other people to use resources they have spent imagination or currants on? If so, the simple solution is that they don't put resources on their home street.

    Is it because they don't want to see other players? Obviously, that can happen lots of places. So does it boil down to not wanting to see other players in a place that they feel visit frequently and is described as something they "own?"

    If that is the case, then they should be OK with a home street with no signpost and that no one else can visit, but that also cannot be expanded or cultivated or have anything put there. That way they have their privacy without having control over more resources than other players.

    But I expect people won't be happy with that. Some will complain that they are being penalized just because they want privacy.

    Do I care that some people have more than me? No. But I do care that the game seems fundamentally fair.

    So if you let people have closed streets that can be expanded, cultivated, and used just like open streets -- but you don't let them visit any other home street, would that be fair? I don't know, and neither does anyone else. I am pretty sure, though, that some people will complain that it's not fair.

    And with any scheme where some home streets are open and some are closed, some people will complain that they don't have enough options: Some will want the option of letting their friends visit and argue that this would be a simple thing for TS to do. Some will want the option of being able to lock anything they put on their street, except to friends, or except to keyholders, or with no exceptions.

    There is no end under the sun to options that might be provided.

    And to those who say providing the option for closed streets would be easy because there are already things like this in Glitch, so the code must already exist, I would say that nothing like this exists now in Glitch. Yes, you can let keyholders visit your house and back yard, but it works that way for everyone. There is no option that lets some houses be open to everyone and others be open only to keyholders.

    So should the devs write new code because there is an option that some players want badly? That should depend on how much effort it will take, and how many people want it, and how it will impact the game and the play experience for everyone. I don't think saying that is being disrepectfull or insensitive to the feelings of other people.
    Posted 7 months ago by Ginnis Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Ginnis I think you wrote out my thought process perfectly. If someone has no problem seeing other glitchen on any other street in Ur, why is it suddenly a problem when it's the street closest to their home?

    That said, just because I have this opinion doesn't mean I think anyone should have rude notes left for them, be called names or anything else. I hate that to think that a thread I started may have caused bullying in game.

    And as for those saying "if you don't agree with the OP go away" as the OP I would like to say for the record I value intelligent discussions. Yes, this post is stating my bias towards home streets. People throw out the word bias like it's a dirty word, it is not. But well thought out posts like Xev's cause me to think and I love that.

    Please everyone be respectful of those that think differently than you. I personally can't understand wanting to keep any street in Ur all to myself, including my home street. I see my house as my place for privacy. Someone seeing it differently than that is okay too. I still stand by my opinion to keep home street privacy the way it is, but I respect your opinion that more options should be added.

    Hive fives to all! (because we can do that now)
    Posted 7 months ago by SkyWaitress Subscriber! | Permalink
  • As a fan of having a public home street I gotta make one last point in favor of having the option to disconnect yourself from the rest of the housing mote:

    I know someone who was assaulted IRL and while they wanted to continue to do some things they did to chill out they wanted nothing to do with anyone that they didn't already know well for quite a while. Even people they weren't very close with got cut off for quite some time.

    I'd hate to think people are making the option for privacy strictly about resources when it could be something more similar to what my friend went through.
    Posted 7 months ago by Moehr Ossum Subscriber! | Permalink