Reset Rampage

However, it’s not as easy at it seems. To begin with, as many people might be aware, while others are not, the games reset has changed. Trophies are no longer awarded in the first few hours of the first of the month, but at the end of that day: at 11:50pm NST. That’s right. There are 23:50 hours for everyone to earn stamps, play games, send scores, and get into the high score table, before the trophies are given out, which means that so many people are left with slim to none possibilities of getting their beloved reward.

As I have surfed (mostly lurked) over at the Charter boards, I’ve observed that there are many persons who get annoyed over those players who, month by month, reset their avatar count, to be on the high score table, resubmit their stamp scores, or play their best game and get top scores over and over again, leaving other gamers with few chances of getting the trophy or avatar of their liking.

And the question of a million Neopoints... WHY do these persons keep sending their high score each month, gaining a place in the high score board, and leaving less opportunities for the trophy seekers? Why must the Top Avatar Collectors, among other Collectors, continue to reset their count? Well, there are three main reasons to answer this query:

1. Because they can

2. Because they want to

3. Because they have as much right as everyone to be on the high score tables

Unfortunately, as lauziloges kindly reminded everyone who participated in a specific thread at Charter boards, “there is no rule against it. Some people don't know the word 'sportsmanship'.”

Sportsmanship. Last time I remember that term being addressed in this game was in a Neopian Times article regarding the Altador Cup. However, sportsmanship is not only applicable during the Cup or plots, but for any activity that involves competition, and, of course, it consists of consideration for fairness and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors.

Taking the latter in consideration, wouldn’t a “reset night” be considered an activity where sportsmanship can be practiced? I would think so, because players are not only playing for the Neopoints the game awards you, but for a trophy, and that’s exactly where many, many people compete.

There have been numerous ideas brought up to the air about ways that would help benefit other competitors, like having trophy bans, for example. Now my knowledge about programming and site operation is extremely limited, but I’m sure that programming trophy bans would require too much time and effort from the staff members in charge of doing so (they would also go nuts – nuttier maybe), and this addition would probably generate much discomfort over the (most probable) lag, white pages, and (even possible) “down for maintenance” pages that would be present. And of course, if TNT thinks that this could be a possibility, it would be added possibly until the end of a long to-do list.

On the other hand, while there’s the hope from some users to sometime find out that trophy bans have been applied, some users will resort to other measures, like sending neomails asking (politely, I hope!) some users not to reset a specific month, to have a slightly better opportunity. This alternative has different ways of viewing it: some people may consider it rude (who’s that person I don’t even know, and who I have never talked to, requesting/begging me to abstain from what I want to do? *reports*), and others ignore it; some people actually consider the request, and hold off their reset for a month. Unfortunately, this is most likely to work between good friends.

But there is another way, a way that helps promote sportsmanship: how about trying to “consider waiting a day or two before putting themselves back on top of the list? To give others a chance”, like amyd_ison suggested on the same thread.

In my humble opinion, that’s an amazing idea, because it’s a win-win situation: if those game “pros” hold off for a day in submitting their scores, or resetting their avatar/stamp count, they would give a chance to those people who are good enough in a game (or have a decent amount of stamps, avatars for “collectors avatar” or trophy) to get their new avatar/trophy on the day of the reset. And as seeing the “pros” are, well... professionals, and get amazing scores, I’m sure that waiting a day to submit (or reset their avatar count) won’t affect them too much.

And it does not only come down to avatars and trophies, since there is also stiff competition in getting a trophy for stamp collectors. “It's amazing how many fellow collectors have already registered,” said dragona5. What does this mean? That spending enormous amounts of Neopoints on stamps isn’t enough, because top collectors will keep bumping off the trophy spots of the aspiring collectors. Basically, this is the same principle with avatar game scores and trophies.

“I can see both sides of the situation. On one side, they earned the right to be there, and put in huge amounts of effort to be on the top. So why should they try to make it so others can get up there easier, even if only temporarily? The other side is just giving everyone else a break. To get high enough to get onto the charts even after reset, one does generally need to put forth quite a bit of effort. Personally I wait several days to register my top stamp score so more people have a chance at a trophy. It doesn't harm me at all,” she says.

Now, some people might say that waiting a whole day to get into the high score table will reduce their Neopoints earn, due to the fact that they might be in a lower trophy position – or not in trophy position at all – and lose those daily points TNT kindly awards those who are lucky enough to stay in the top scores.

And it all comes down to sportsmanship once more. Why monopolize a trophy spot? Why can’t the Neopoints “wealth” (if it can be named as such) be shared with other players? Why the greed? Wouldn’t it be fairer to the Neopian Economy? Just imagine, if more people could benefit from those spare Neopoints awarded by holding a place in trophy spots, they would be able to get a bit more Neopoints and spend them on that specific item you’re selling, for example. Wouldn’t this possibility get you even more Neopoints than those if you had opted for the trophy spot? Wouldn’t it be nicer?

Of course, we live in a free world, where everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and to do whatever pleases them more. I’m not going to hypnotize everyone into trying to make the readers change their beliefs and reasons for their resetting using the almighty Meepits eyes. I’m not even going to threaten with going to the Great Dr. Sloth (“Pitiful Neopets, you will all soon be my slaves!”). Not at all. I’m just trying to revive the spirit of sportsmanship, to extend it to more areas where it can be applied, and hopefully, tempt some people into helping their fellow Neopians – their competitors – to gain their most desired trophies.

Finally, before I go and play some games, hoping to get a new trophy for my cabinet, I would like to express my gratitude the following users who have given me their consent to quote their thoughts: lauziloges, amyd_ison, and dragona5. Also to donna111117, who asked me to address one of the issues expressed above. Thank you, very much!