Okay so lets lay it down like peanut butter to some fresh bread.
There is an issue with bugs.
There is an issue with how bugs are managed.
For the sake of the post, bugs are actual code errors, exploits are the use of the errors in-order to do something.
Okay - So here I am, I've been gone from TFR/ZH for like 4 years. I return, and I see lots of the old issues are fixed up, well done team :D
Then over time, I find that I am not having problems with the bugs limiting me, because I cant do something - but because the "exploit prevention" is more of a "punishment system".
For example : I targeted myself with my flute - it destroyed the flute instantly. No issue, I have backups. I targeted my horse with a golem, I get teleported to Fire and raped by [the word] + its' dog. Thats fine, I had no items on and I was adventuring, I just lost the hides etc.
Now, I would have been more upset if I had lost valuable stuff etc... but those are just some examples, I am sure many people have lost their only flute, or all of their crafter items. And for what? 2 guys that exploited 3 years ago, and you didn't know of the problem - so it never occurred to you that maybe canceling your flute action by clicking on yourself was a bad idea.
Okay, this has also been brough on by getting 8 days in jail for not removing a moongate menu when I got two... so its a bit aggrivated - but dont make me to be some massive exploiter or anything.
So - What do I think of this : I think its done incorrectly - and I have spoken to others that have been punished for these things they knew nothing about too. So I think its about time for someone to stand up and say theres a problem.
What I would like to see is not this mentality of "punish the player! for he hast done wrong!" because more often than not - the player doesnt know anything. Rather patch the exploit and just have no action - or a warning message to avoid doing that. In the most neccesary cases perhaps just log the event, incase it should be something more rash.
With these changes - I think it would also calm the classic "ban/jail outburst" that people have to deal with in IRC or whatever, and isnt that what you want? a happy place.
Along with this, I would like to propose a change to the current method of dealing with bug reports and management. A forum is for discussion, and a thread to deal with bugs isn't exactly the best way of doing thing (imho) - items get forgotten and overlooked - there is a lack of accountability and transparency/documentation. However - I applaud the staff member that implemented a Mantis Tracker for UOSA. Could we perhaps get one going again, or another system? what are the cons of it? To me it seems a way better way of doing things, with players getting feedback, and staff getting very direct access to the issue at hand.
So... what do other people think? The ones I talked to were all very much in agreement with me... but I don't speak to everyone thankfully. So here's your chance : Flame/Feedback/wtf... go wild - I've said my bit.
Let players get on with it.