Psstt...*Whisper Whisper*:The Rumor Mill

John Lifeglen here to talk today about rumors.  I'm taking a few minutes between lunch and next class (because my time is incredibly limited these days :/) to say hi and discuss an issue that I see growing in our fare game.  I'm sure we've all heard things similar to this:

(Note, this is a hypothetical conversation, not one that actually took place)

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Person A: Pssttt......Hey did you hear about the [insert epic items here]??

Person B: Um, no...what does [item] do?

Person A: Well, it looks REALLY COOL and it happens to do [insert string of stats].

Person B: COOL, where can I get one, and can I see it?

Person A: Well...I think it's rare, I may be the only person that has one.

Person B: Please tell me, but let me see!

Person A: You get it as a drop from [insert obnoxiously tedious boss].
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What you have just witnessed is a very meanspirited prank pulled by players all over the internet.  Usually, the item doesn't exist and is only advertised to make players waste their time hunting for something fake.  Recently, the Triton pet rumor began.  A lot of players were really excited at this prospect.  This rumor has been shut down by the lovely Professor Greyrose.  In the past, rumors of a Kraken, Ice Kraken, and Fire Kraken were all started by an unknown entity on Wizard101 Central.  These rumors have never been confirmed, and follow a similar format: "My friend told me in whisper he got [pet] on a drop, but he isnt online and it hasn't hatched yet.  He said he got it [boss]."  The player who posted this was told a dirty rotten lie and was the victim in this scenario, and his reputation could have been hurt because of what his friend told him.  His so-called friend wasn't playing very nice.

The rumor mill in games isn't quite as big of an issue with people getting hurt in games, at least not on the pets/loot topic.  However, starting rumors can hurt credibility and cause mistrust.  Also, rumors about other people can hurt friendships, feelings, and have extreme consequences. 

Long story short, rumors are bad.  Let's try to confirm our facts before telling even one person about them.  Asking a person to confirm the truth in it and telling someone that something is true are not the same thing, and asking questions is always a plus.  Ask questions about rumors, don't just pass them off as fact until it is known for certain.

Your Friend Always,
John Lifeglen